Australian bikies allegedly use white collar crime network

Police have uncovered a list of 185 people who include white collar workers who have allegedly helped 16 criminal groups including bikie gangs.

A network of corrupt white-collar workers allegedly helped bikie gangs hide their illegal cash.

A list of 185 people who helped 16 criminal groups on the Australian Priority Organisation Target (APOT) list have been identified. Law enforcement sources confirmed at least one-quarter of helping serious criminals move their dodgy dollars were either accountants, lawyers, ­financial advisers or real estate agents.

Police say some of the lawyers ­involved directly receive kickbacks, while others are simply negligent in their duty.

The network of white-collar fixers helped by hiding the source of their cash, with the complex structures making it harder for police to chase down.

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive ­Michael Phelan. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

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Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive ­Michael Phelan wrote in its most ­recent annual report the APOT list remained a key tool for law enforcement.

“The Australian Priority Organisation Target (APOT) list details the top international and transnational targets that play a significant role within Australia’s serious and organised crime environment,” he wrote.

“We continue to co-ordinate operational activities with Australian and international partner agencies to cause maximum global and local disruption of APOT networks.”

Mr Phelan said in the 2020-21 annual report that international police forces had “significantly co-operated” in collating and disrupting the APOT list.

“This led to the disruption of 3 APOT networks to the point that they are no longer considered APOT-level threats,” he wrote.

“Elements of a further 9 APOT networks were significantly disrupted, decreasing the overall threat of the criminal organisation.”

The AFP has been able to arrest two ­people on its APOT list, with Chung Chak Lee, 66, extradited to Australia from Thailand in June.

Australian Federal Police escort Chung Chak Lee at Melbourne airport on Saturday June 11. Picture: Supplied.

Chung Chak Lee has been accused of being a key player in the Asian drug group The Cartel or Sam Gor. Picture: Supplied.

He ­appeared briefly in Melbourne’s Magistrates Court charged with importing 42kg of drugs in 2013.

Lee was alleged to have been the right-hand man to Chi Lop Tse, the head of the Sam Gor cartel, also known as Asia’s El Chapo.

The Sam Gor cartel controls at least a third of Australia’s wholesale drug market.

Tse was arrested in Amsterdam in January 2021, when he was en route to Canada from Taiwan.

He lost an appeal against a Dutch court’s decision in June, 2022, to allow him to be extradited to Australia.

He was awaiting a final decision from the Dutch Justice Minister about whether he would be forced to get on a plane to Australia.

Both Lee and Tse intend to fight the charges.

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Originally published as Australian bikies allegedly use white collar crime network