The efforts of the AFP in 2024 to combat serious organised crime activity in Victoria and Tasmania has led to the seizure of more than seven tonnes of illegal drugs, the disruption of an illegal tobacco importation ring and the seizure of 94 firearms.
The AFP's Southern Command, covering Victoria and Tasmania, has worked with partner agencies to disrupt criminal networks with a series of significant seizures of imported drugs, as well as helping dismantle a sophisticated money laundering syndicate.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Hilda Sirec said the AFP's operations in 2024 had made a significant dent on criminal activity both in Australia and offshore.
"The scourge of drugs on our Victorian and Tasmanian communities has been limited by the dedicated policing of the AFP, with tonnes of methampethamine and cocaine taken off the streets as a result of major seizures," she said.
"Our members dedicate themselves to protecting our communities from all elements of serious organised crime - from multimillion-dollar money laundering operations to the drug networks looking to profit by exploiting Australians.
"A significant result for us is removing 94 firearms from the hands of those who could use them to wreak violence on our streets.
"The expertise and breadth of AFP operations covers a wide array of areas. This year we have made 26 arrests in relation to alleged child exploitation offences and seized millions in cash and property we allege are the proceeds of crime.
"Criminals should take note that if you wish to profit by inflicting pain and suffering in our country, you will be caught and face judgement of the justice system."
Timeline of some key Victorian and Tasmanian AFP highlights in 2024:
January: 40 guns, explosives and more than $1 million in cash seized
In January, three men were charged with firearms and proceeds of crime offences as part of Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (VIC-JOCTF) Operation Tyers.
The investigation began after a counterfeit Dutch passport was detected in international mail and police conducted a controlled delivery of the item - which included covert surveillance of the intended recipient.
Police allege the passport was picked up and delivered to an alleged Russian organised crime member planning to use the document to depart Australia undetected.
During the investigation, police seized various firearms, a grenade, gold bullion and more than $1 million in cash across multiple properties.
Police searched a rural Tyabb property and found six storage cases that contained sophisticated explosive devices. Also located were a large number of assorted firearms, ammunition and a substance suspected to be drugs.
Police allege more than 40 guns were seized during this investigation.
The JOCTF comprises members from the AFP, Victoria Police and ABF.
February: Six people arrested, $15 million illicit tobacco import into Victoria foiled.
In February, six Melbourne men - including some with alleged links to a suspected Middle Eastern crime family - were charged for allegedly trying to import 10 million illicit cigarettes into Victoria after an extensive 16-month investigation.
The investigation was launched by the JOCTF after 10 million cigarettes were intercepted in Victoria after arriving on a sea cargo ship from Vietnam on 3 February, 2024.
Police allege some of the charged men worked for freight and transport logistics companies in trusted positions and leveraged these positions to attempt to avoid law enforcement detection.
March: Alleged Chinese criminal gang accused of laundering $39 million arrested
Four members of an alleged Chinese criminal gang, accused of laundering more than $39 million dollars in illicit cash, were charged as part of a joint law enforcement investigation in Melbourne in March, 2024.
Authorities allege the Chinese criminal syndicate is responsible for laundering more than $39 million in illicit cash collections and remittance funds to individuals in China, using a sophisticated network of criminal associates in Melbourne between July and August 2022.
April: Alleged international drug couriers charged over attempted cocaine flight
The AFP arrested four alleged international drug couriers, including the suspected ringleader of a transnational drug mule syndicate, accused of attempting to smuggle cocaine into Australia on board a flight from the United States to Melbourne in April, 2024.
AFP officers arrested and charged a United States national, 55, at Melbourne Airport on Tuesday 16 April, 2024, who is accused of planning and supervising the transnational drug courier syndicate as they attempted to import cocaine concealed inside their luggage on board an international flight to Australia.
Police will allege the man oversaw three United States nationals travelling on board a flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne on Friday 12 April, 2024, with around 30kg of cocaine inside their luggage.
The three women, aged 22, 24 and 35, each allegedly concealed approximately 10kgs of cocaine inside their luggage.
May: Tasmanian man charged over allegedly accessing anime child abuse material
A West Ulverstone man was charged for allegedly accessing child abuse material, including about 85,000 online pages of computer-generated animated abusive imagery.
Police conducted an examination of the man's electronic devices and allegedly detected multiple files containing child abuse material and about 85,000 online pages of computer-generated animated child abuse material, known as Hentai.
If convicted, the man faces up to 15 years' imprisonment.
June: Two Victorian men charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of illicit drugs
Two Victorian men were arrested in June, 2024, and charged with allegedly trafficking a commercial quantity of illicit drugs.
The men were arrested in Port Melbourne on Thursday 6 June, 2024, after one of the men was allegedly found in possession of 12kg of methamphetamine and the second allegedly found in possession of 1kg of cocaine.
Police will allege a Docklands man, 36, and Keysborough man, 34, were part of a transnational serious organised crime syndicate intending to distribute the illicit drugs throughout Victoria.
The Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (VIC JOCTF) identified the men during an investigation into alleged drug trafficking in Melbourne.
July: Trio charged for allegedly trafficking illicit drugs, criminal proceeds in secret vehicle compartments
In July, 2024, three men were charged for allegedly possessing and trafficking more than 55kg of illicit drugs hidden in secret compartments within a number of vehicles between NSW and Victoria.
The AFP will allege two Victorian men and a NSW man were key members of an organised criminal syndicate suspected of concealing illicit drugs - including cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine - within a fleet of vehicles and transporting them via tray trucks from Sydney to Melbourne.
The men allegedly used purpose-built hides, located in the rear seat area of Toyota Camry sedans, to conceal and transport the illicit drugs and more than $1 million of criminal proceeds.
August: Four Melbourne men charged over alleged roles in 306kg methamphetamine import
In August 2024, the AFP charged four Melbourne men over their alleged roles in a plot to import $283 million dollars' worth of methamphetamine into Australia from the United States concealed in a six-tonne hydraulic press.
A Noble Park man, 19, a Narre Warren man, 20, and a Lynbrook man, 18, were each charged with attempting to possess the 306kg methamphetamine shipment.
September: Victorian man charged over alleged unauthorised radio transmissions to aircraft
In September 2024, the AFP charged a Melbourne man for allegedly interfering with radio transmissions of commercial aircraft in Victoria.
The man, 45, first faced court in September, 2024, over three charges for alleged radio interference at Melbourne Airport over a two-month period.
The AFP began an investigation that months after receiving a report from the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) about an individual using unauthorised access to aviation radio networks to broadcast various chants and false mayday recordings.
Investigators linked the man to the offending and executed a search warrant at his Lower Plenty residence.
AFP officers located and seized four handheld radios and associated equipment allegedly used to transmit the interference, including two mobile phones with recordings of chants and mayday messages.
October: Two people jailed in Australia over historic US meth seizure
In October 2024, two United States nationals were sentenced in the Melbourne County Court for their roles in facilitating the attempted importation of more than 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine into Australia in 2019.
A man, now aged 57, was sentenced to 21 years' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 14 years.
A woman, now aged 52, was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of eight years and six months.
This amount of methamphetamine could have been sold as more than 17 million street deals with an estimated street value of $1.29 billion - at the time this was the largest-ever shipment bound for Australia and the biggest domestic seizure in the US.
The US nationals are the final two of the six syndicate members charged in Australia to be convicted over the plot, with four other people already sentenced to terms of imprisonment.
November: Man jailed in Victoria's first exit trafficking conviction
In November 2024, a Victorian man who deceived a woman into leaving Australia and took steps to prevent her return was sentenced to four years and six months' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of three years and three months.
The Meadow Heights man, now aged 52, was the first Victorian convicted for an exit trafficking offence after he deceived his then-wife, a foreign national, to travel to Sudan in 2014 before leaving her stranded there and trying to cancel her Australian visa.
He was sentenced on 12 November, 2024 at Melbourne County Court, marking the fourth conviction in Australia for exit trafficking.
December: Six children removed from harm in the Philippines following international investigation
In December, intelligence gleaned from two separate Victorian and Tasmania JACET investigations led to six children being removed from harm in the Philippines after an international child sexual abuse investigation.
