State police anger at AFP claims mafia operating in Australia

It was the announcement that sent shockwaves across the country – the AFP had allegedly uncovered 14 mafia families in Australia. So why didn’t they tell their state counterparts?

Two days before the Australian Federal Police made their extraordinary claims about the Italian mafia running rampant across Australia last month, some of the nation’s most senior law enforcement officials met in Melbourne for their regular Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) roundtable.

Among them were representatives from the AFP, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), the Australian Taxation Office (ATO,) the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), as well as state and territory police forces.

The purpose of these meetings is to share intelligence, consult with other jurisdictions about cross border crimes and advise each other about upcoming issues.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan addresses the media on June 7 revealing the AFP will focus on targeting Italian mafia organised crime in Australia. Picture: Dean Lewins

Apart from some general chat about Italians importing cocaine – law enforcement agencies claim there was no heads up the AFP was about to hit the media claiming there were 51 organised crime gangs across the country and 14 confirmed as ’Ndrangheta, or Calabrian mafia families.

When the AFP claims exploded on June 7, so did the rest of the country’s law enforcement.

The AFP said they are investigating 51 Italian organised crime clans, 14 confirmed as ’Ndrangheta, or Calabrian mafia families, some taking their orders from the godfathers back in Italy.

They are claimed to be operating across Victoria, NSW, the ACT, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland,

The other agencies particularly state and territory police were furious claiming they were not told or consulted.

Police sources said they were left in the dark asking who are these families and why didn’t they know about it? Why didn’t they share their holdings with the state and territory police and why would they warn the targets they are being targeted?

It is understood AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw received a barrage of phone calls from state police. Picture: Sean Davey

And why are they targeting Italians in such a racist way that stains the whole community?

“That makes no sense at all,” one senior cop said.

“Labelling the industries they are involved in has only worked to stigmatise and alienate the communities they want to help them,” another officer said.

“The finger has been pointed at the poor average Italian, living a meagre lifestyle in a modest home and working in industries such as agriculture, catering and construction which is the sort of jobs they could get when they migrated. They have just continued”.

It is understood AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw received a barrage of phone calls from state police.

State police have said they don’t believe the AFP can prove their fantastic revelations and have dismissed their claims it was a breakthrough. Although it is understood the AFP have told them the proof is coming.

An AFP spokesperson said they shared invaluable evidence with the states and territories during Operation Ironside, and it also provided contemporary evidence into how Italian organised crime operates in Australia.

“ … state and territory police forces were recently invited to a global Italian organised crime conference hosted by the AFP in Melbourne.

“That conference outlined the dangerous and deep-rooted profile of the ‘Ndrangheta in Australia and across the world, but also allowed all agencies to share intelligence and information.”

Still a month on, many senior police have questioned the purpose of this big announcement – pointing out that they never tell the crooks they are coming before they raid them.

They believe it is all about politics – and the AFP reopening a Rome office.

And bad blood about the AFP so-called “glory grabbing” at the expense of the state police goes back decades.

So does the problematic issue of the AFP and the Italian mafia.

Originally published as State police anger at AFP claims mafia operating in Australia