38 Queenslanders busted in Special Operation Ironside’s Anom sting

Police are warning of more high-profile Queensland arrests as part of Australia’s biggest ever crime sting – Operation Ironside. WATCH THE VIDEO

A Brisbane carpenter who allegedly lost up to $700,000 in just one raid is among the 38 Queenslanders busted in Australia’s biggest ever crime sting.

A mammoth 55 raids were conducted in Queensland by the Australian Federal Police alongside the Queensland Police Service as part of the unprecedented three-year-long Special Operation Ironside.

Queensland police during one of 55 raids conducted as part of Operation Ironside.

So far, 152 charges have been laid against 38 Queenslanders, however several more are expected within the coming months, as authorities continue to trawl through more than 18 million text messages sent via the compromised encrypted app, AN0M.

The sophisticated sting involved police planting mobile phones into criminal syndicates loaded with the app to allegedly conduct illegal business, not knowing the AFP was capturing every message, photograph and phone call in real time.

One of the Queenslanders arrested is Brisbane carpenter Christopher John Spurling, 33, from Wilston.

Weapons, drugs and cash were seized during the police raids.

The father of a six-month-old baby, who the court heard earns a yearly income of about $100,000, was charged with trafficking in dangerous drugs (serious organised crime), unlawful trafficking in weapons and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.

In court on Wednesday, Magistrate Judith Daley said Spurling was alleged to be a “serious player” in a criminal enterprise.

“They’ve got exchanges for him to purchase firearms, transporting two kilos of cocaine,” she said.

“He’s been told they can supply up to 10 kilograms.

“He lost $700,000 in one raid, he’s caught on the encrypted. There’s serious trading in drugs and money in relation to it.”

Spurling was denied bail and will front court again next month.

Six major Queensland criminal syndicates were dismantled as a result of the operation, QPS Assistant Commissioner Katherine Innes said.

One tactical operation named North-Shropshire, conducted around Brisbane and the Gold Coast led to police seizing five weapons including semi automatic rifles, more than 200kg of illicit drugs as well as nearly 800 cannabis plants and more than $300,000 in cash.

QPS Assistant Commissioner Katherine Innes. Picture: John Gass

While a patched member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang is alleged to have been a key organiser in a group caught allegedly manufacturing MDMA in Brisbane.

The organised criminal group’s activities were unravelled as part of operation North-Destiny.

Several high profile arrests are expected within months as authorities continue to go through evidence collected on the AN0M app, which has now been shut down for operational reasons.

Assistant Commissioner Innes said charges are expected to be laid in relation to “trusted insider matters.”

“I believe that there is ongoing investigations into a number of trusted insider matters and you will probably see further action into the weeks and months coming,” she said.

Assistant Commissioner Innes said she expects solicitors, accountants and people that may be structuring money laundering activities will be identified and charged, while she also said workers within transportation and logistics were of key focus for authorities.

“Obviously a large percentage of drugs that come into Australia come in through large logistic pathways. So yes, definitely those areas will be examined ongoing,” she said.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale said the hugely successful operation enabled the AFP “a hammer blow on serious organised crime across the country.”

“Queensland is a safer state because of this unprecedented AFP and QPS led operation,” she said.

“The results have already had a devastating consequence for those who seek to harm Australians and Australians’ interests.”