A New South Wales man is scheduled to appear before Perth Magistrates Court today (22 February, 2025) after the AFP seized about $1.1 million from a suitcase at Perth Airport, triggering an interstate money laundering investigation.
The AFP charged the North Rocks man, 21, in Sydney on 20 February, 2025, before extraditing him to Perth yesterday (21 February, 2025).
He has been charged with one count of engages in conduct in relation to money, worth $1,000,000 or more, that is proceeds of general crime, contrary to section 400.3(2A) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for this offence is 12 years' imprisonment.
Investigations began on 17 February, 2025, when the man tried to use a credit card to pay an excess baggage fee for a suitcase at Perth Airport.
Airline staff refused the payment as the credit card details differed to those on his boarding pass, and advised the man his flight booking was cancelled.
The man allegedly exited the terminal without waiting for his suitcase to be returned, before catching a flight to Sydney on a different airline later that day.
The AFP was alerted about the abandoned suitcase and attended to examine it with a dog trained to detect currency, firearms and drugs.
The dog indicated the contents of the suitcase were suspicious and, upon opening the suitcase, the AFP found $1,102,440 million cash wrapped in plastic bundles.
AFP officers executed a search warrant at the man's Sydney home on 19 February, 2025, seizing electronic devices and items of clothing for forensic examination.
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Chwal said the AFP would allege the interstate investigation had successfully disrupted significant money laundering activities.
"The AFP is working tirelessly with partners to protect the community and Australia's legitimate economy and ensure air travel is not used as part of the criminal supply chain," Det Supt Chwal said.
"Anyone with large amounts of undeclared cash can be put before the courts to explain the source of that wealth."
The AFP is continuing to investigate how the man came to be in possession of the cash.
