Vulnerable people from students to gamblers are being recruited by organised crime

HOW many Australians are being dragged into the criminal underworld? Students, gamblers and migrants are gang targets.

Jamie Gao, 20, faced court on kidnapping and assault charges the week before he was murdered. Suuplied

A BRUTAL killing, a very public arrest and two high profile former detectives charged with murder — just how did Jamie Gao get caught up in such a dangerous world?

It’s a question that has had Australians talking for days ... but police are in no way shocked that a vulnerable young man could end up the victim of such a shocking crime.

In fact, Mr Gao had been on the radar of Federal Police for years, following a previous court appearance in which he was charged with kidnapping and assault.

Police won’t specifically comment on the Gao case, given it is now before the courts. However, a statement has shed light on the lengths to which organised crime networks will go to ensnare naive and desperate Australians “to do their dirty work”.

Targets included cash-strapped students, who were often approached in pubs or on campus, as well as other members of the community perceived as socially or financially vulnerable.

Gambling has put members of the community at risk of crime.

“In recent times, we have seen cases where people with gambling debts, or those who have only just arrived in Australia, have been recruited as drug mules for organised criminals, who only have concern for maximising their own black market profits,” the New South Wales Police statement said.

Victims could be new to Australia, have found themselves in serious debt and in need of a quick fix. Organised criminals have also targeted white collar workers to help them with their law-breaking ways.

“We know that a number of professionals, with expertise in the legal, regulatory and financial fields, are recruited by organised criminals to help them facilitate money laundering and avoid the detection of law enforcement.”

Dishonest investment: Professionals with skills in the legal, regulatory and financial sectors have fallen victim to organised crime.

The fact students were being caught up in these schemes surprised many student associations spoken to by news.com.au.

Declan McGonigle, president of the student association of the University of Melbourne, said it was indicative of the strain some students had found themselves in “and the lack of financial support”.

Another student representative said he could see exactly how a student could find themselves in difficulty, but due to the secrecy of crime networks, it was difficult to know how widespread it was.

A spokesman for Macquarie University said police were occasionally brought in to advise international students about Australian law, but he had not heard specific examples of students becoming involved in gang activities.

Gone are the days when gangs were separated along cultural lines. Now they will do anything — and use anyone — to make a buck.

Police said the black market had opened up just as the market had done for legitimate business.

“Those at the top of the organised crime industry are no longer working in silos along ethnic or geographic lines; they are working across borders and interconnecting with numerous networks of criminals.

“The most successful organised crime networks mask their criminal activity behind legitimate businesses. They also go to great lengths to disguise their criminal gains by filtering cash through complex and multifaceted money laundering networks.”

Originally published as Vulnerable people from students to gamblers are being recruited by organised crime