Inside the story of how the AFP raided South Australian business and homes before making their first arrest of Jack Park Sauer
After months of covert operations, the AFP launched into action across Australia and globally. In South Australia, their first raid was an inconspicuous barber shop at dawn on Tuesday morning.
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After months of covert operation and infiltrating the digital network of the underworld, the Australian Federal Police stood outside of an inconspicuous barber shop in Adelaide’s western suburbs.
On Tuesday morning, the AFP made its first Operation Kraken raid – having infiltrated the underworld encrypted app ‘Ghost’ – in South Australia at North Plympton’s KJ Barbers.
Its recently resigned manager was Jack Park Sauer, who has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking.
Sources told The Advertiser the barber shop was searched from top to bottom for several hours. Officers covered CCTV cameras and ripped out electrical wires and it is understood the AFP seized three mobile devices.
The AFP then raided a luxury Henley Beach home, where Mr Sauer lived, and homes at West Lakes and Prospect.
Henley Beach neighbour Tony Lamb, 58, said prior to the raid, he noticed cars and people frequently “coming and going” from the address.
“We never really knew the people living in that house,” he said. “Everyone here has lived on the street for a long time, most people here are married and have kids and we say ‘hi’ when we see one another.
“But that house has always been private. They have the high fence and they don’t come out much but they frequently have cars coming and going, and visitors.”
Mr Lamb also said he witnessed an “unmarked surveillance van with satellite dishes” on the street for a few days before the raid.
On the day of the raid, a team of AFP agents were seen surrounding the Henley Beach home with a few cars parked in the front and in the back alley.
After entering the house, they spent hours going between the home and their vehicles, taking a few items in unmarked bags.
After the raids Mr Sauer, 33, a well-known businessman and entrepreneur, was arrested and charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug, methamphetamine and cocaine.
He was further charged with assisting a criminal organisation and money laundering, as well as “supplying encrypted communication devices”, according to court documents.
Sauer is understood to have been the manager at KJ Barbers for over a year.
Sauer was nominated to be in charge of the barber shop while the owner headed to Queensland to start another business.
A source connected to KJ Barbers said Sauer resigned three weeks ago after the staff complained to the owner that Sauer was neglecting his duties.
The Advertiser understands the owner was also the listed tenant of the raided Henley Beach property.
While the shop owner was on business in Gold Coast, he allowed Sauer to live in the property.
The pair moved into the house about five months ago; their contract is due to come to an end in October.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the owner of the barber shop, or anyone else who works there.
On Wednesday, Operation Kraken continued with the AFP raiding a North Haven home in the early morning, as well as a Plympton unit around 3pm.
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