Aviation staff ‘may fall prey to gangs’

Federal police have warned of an increased risk of organised crime groups blackmailing aviation staff for their security cards and inside information.

‘The AFP anticipates they may look to target vulnerable airline and airport employees who have been stood down or have lost their jobs recently’: AFP commander Krissy Barrett. Picture: Damian Shaw

Federal police have warned of an increased risk of organised crime groups paying or blackmailing aviation staff for their security cards and inside information.

The AFP is concerned the pandemic has made sacked or stood-down airport and airline workers more vulnerable to being targeted by crime syndicates, as reduced air travel disrupts traditional drug trafficking operations and leads to a spike in prices.

“It is likely criminal groups will take advantage of a perceived shift in the focus of police and border authorities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,’’ said AFP commander Krissy Barrett.

“Airline and airport staff may possess the necessary skills, expert knowledge, sensitive access, diversion expertise and contacts to assist organised crime groups with their criminal ventures.”

Baggage handlers, passenger screening officers, ­security guards and federal officials, including Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officers, are among those issued with an Aviation Security Identification Card, showing they have undergone a security check.

Commander Barrett said the majority of airport workers were honest and law-abiding but organised crime groups were “unscrupulous and enterprising”.

“The AFP anticipates they may look to target vulnerable airline and airport employees who have been stood down or have lost their jobs recently,” she said.

“Airline and airport employees possess insider knowledge of aviation operations, which could leave them open to exploitation for unlawful purposes.

“If any worker is approached or pressured to hand over or sell their Aviation Security Identification Card they should immediately alert law enforcement.”

Police have reported a doubling of the street price of methamphetamine — or “ice” — and cocaine in some regions after the close of international and state borders and restrictions on interstate travel, indicating scarcity of supply.

Crime syndicates are understood to be stockpiling illicit drugs and precursor chemicals in countries such as Myanmar and Mexico, ready to flood the lucrative Australian market — where prices are among the highest in the world — when border restrictions ease.

With the pandemic forcing crime groups to adapt to a changed environment, a small number of outlaw motorcycle club gang members and people with long-term links to the gangs are known to have returned to Australia after basing themselves overseas for years.

Investigators are monitoring their movements and say gang members have also increased counter-surveillance measures and have turned to using the mail for drug distribution.

A Mongols member who flew from Victoria to Queensland earlier this month caught the attention of police, while similar movements have been observed between NSW and Victoria.

Commander Barrett said while flights had been drastically reduced the AFP continued to “saturate” airports with armed ­officers. New Protection Operation Response Teams (PORTs) were conducting targeted operations focused on high-risk threats, including areas that could ­be ­exploited by insiders.

“Our PORTs work closely with partner agencies to gather and share intelligence and information relating to security vulnerabilities, including trusted insider threats,” Commander Barrett said. “Criminal groups may attempt higher-risk jobs using the scarce flights that are available. A trusted insider could assist in facilitating this.”