Detectives from the Crime and Intelligence Command's Financial and Cyber Crime Group have partnered with local community organisation Micah Projects to donate clothing seized as part of a closed fraud investigation to Queenslanders in need.
Ahead of National Homelessness Week (August 1 – 7), hundreds of new clothing items were donated this week to Micah Projects, a Brisbane-based community organisation that provides support to people impacted by homelessness and domestic and family violence.
Detective Acting Inspector Brad Hallett of the Financial and Cyber Crime Group said the items, worth in excess of $60,000, were donated to Micah Projects instead of being destroyed following the closure of the investigation.
"These are brand-new items, which were seized as proceeds of crime during a 2018 money laundering investigation that targeted an international fraud syndicate," Detective Acting Inspector Hallett said.
"After the success of the investigation, which resulted in one arrest in Queensland and two overseas in relation to fraud and money laundering offences, it is extremely satisfying for investigators to be able to make this donation.
"It is one of the largest donations of its kind by the Financial and Cyber Crime Group and we're proud to partner with Micah Projects in this practical way to support members of the community experiencing hardships," Detective Acting Inspector Hallett said.
The donated items include dresses as well as men's and women's shirts, jackets, jeans and shoes.
Karyn Walsh, CEO of Micah Projects said the clothing donation would be used to support the organisation's work in assisting members of the community experiencing financial hardship and crisis.
"Micah Projects welcomes this generous donation, which will be used to help our participants impacted by homelessness and women who have been forced to leave their homes due to domestic and family violence," Ms Walsh said.
For more information:
About the QPS operation:
In 2018 Financial and Cyber Crime Group investigators arrested a then aged 24-year-old Indian national living in Everton Park for his alleged property mule role in an international fraud syndicate under protracted Operation Quebec Dayton. Investigations confirmed an international fraud syndicate based in Malaysia was using stolen credit card data to make online purchases. The clothing items were among hundreds of online purchased items repackaged and sent by the man to the overseas offenders in Malaysia. The man was charged in April 2018 with fraud and money laundering offences. As a result of the investigation, a further two arrests were made in Malaysia by the Royal Malaysian Police, with assistance from the AFP and QPS.
About Micah Projects:
For more information, visit Micah Projects' website.
