Named: Four charged over alleged $190m Qld money laundering syndicate

A sophisticated Queensland-based money laundering organisation has been dismantled after allegedly washing millions of dollars in criminal proceeds and smuggling cash across the country.

A Gold Coast couple used their established security company to wash millions of dollars for criminals across the country as part of a sophisticated money laundering scheme that transferred cash into cryptocurrency, investigators have alleged.

Four people have been arrested amid allegations organised crime groups moved money around the country using dead drops and couriers to deliver cash to be laundered.

Four people have been charged following the 18-month investigation.

Pictures: AFP

It followed an 18-month multi-agency investigation headed by the Australian Federal Police.

The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) has also restrained assets worth $21m including 17 properties, bank accounts and vehicles across Queensland and NSW which they say are suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

A RAM seized as part of the investigation.

The Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (QJOCTF) in December 2023 began probing suspicious third-party financial transactions to a company that received millions of dollars, that they allege was linked to Heathwood man Aleksander Alincic, 32.

Investigators said they “followed the money trail”, identifying Alincic was a customer of a sophisticated money laundering operation allegedly being run through the armoured transport unit of a security company, that transferred $190 million cash into cryptocurrency.

Gold Coast couple Daniel and Nicole Ware - the director and general manager respectively of the security business - were each charged on Friday with a money laundering offence.

One of the vehicles seized as part of the investigation. Source: Australian Federal Police

Brisbane man Peter Nolan, 58, from West End, who allegedly funnelled money through a business account to a separate business account controlled by Alincic, was also charged on Friday with two money laundering offences.

Police allege the Gold Coast-based security company used a complex network of bank accounts, businesses, couriers and cryptocurrency accounts to launder millions of dollars of illicit funds over 18 months.

The established security company, which transferred cash between businesses and banks, allegedly mixed money from its legitimate business arm with illicit funds deposited by suspected criminals.

Police on Monday said investigations into the source of the $190m converted by the security company into cryptocurrency, through “dozens and dozens of transactions”, was still under investigation.

Police allege that to further obfuscate the source of the funds from law enforcement, the security company allegedly moved money through a “web of transactions”.

An Audi seized as part of the investigation.

This included allegedly moving money through a sales promotion company, a classic car dealership and a cryptocurrency exchange.

Investigators said the organisation then paid out funds to beneficiaries using cryptocurrency or the third-party companies.

Alincic allegedly controlled the sales promotion company and received about $9.5 million in cash and cryptocurrency originating from the security company over 15 months.

Police will allege Alincic attempted to distance himself from the money laundering scheme by setting his wife up as a “straw director” of the promotions company, while he maintained effective control.

Police allege Nolan was the director of a classic car dealership that received about $6.4 million from the security company and laundered it through his business over a 17-month period.

Nolan allegedly opened at least seven accounts with different banks to conceal the source of the money as he moved it around.

Police said the illicit money was then allegedly mixed with legitimate money from the car dealership before being transferred to the sales promotions business.

A technology detection dog inspects a vehicle as part of the investigation. Picture: AFP

Investigators allege the security company was also the front for the movement of millions of dollars of illicit cash from other states to southeast Queensland for laundering.

Police allege cash generated by organised crime groups was left at dead drop locations around the country and collected by a network of couriers who sent it as domestic cargo on flights to Queensland.

It was then allegedly collected by the security company’s couriers in Queensland.

During police raids, investigators said they seized crypto wallets containing about $170,000 in cryptocurrency, $30,000 cash, encrypted devices, business records and documents related to the alleged money laundering scheme.

Daniel Ware was charged with one count of dealing with the proceeds of general crime, worth $10 million or more, contrary to section 400.2B(6) of the Criminal Code (Cth).

His wife, Nicole Ware, 35, who was the general manager of the business, was charged with one count of dealing with the proceeds of general crime, worth $10 million or more, contrary to section 400.2B(3) of the Criminal Code (Cth).

Alincic, who was allegedly a major client of the money laundering operation and washed $9.5 million in 15 months, was charged on Thursday with money laundering and failing to provide the password to a mobile phone.

Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said the investigation had unravelled a “sophisticated operation” where money was washed through a network of “seemingly legitimately” businesses in southeast Queensland.

“The results we are announcing today will deliver a significant blow to alleged individuals who have relied on this operation to turn their ill-gotten profits into property portfolios, luxury cars and cryptocurrency,” he said.

He said further arrests had not been ruled out.

Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer. Picture: David Clark

Supt Telfer said the majority of properties restrained were linked to Alincic.

While the money laundering operation was in southeast Queensland Supt Telfer said it was “truly a national operation laundering the profits of criminal ventures across this country”.

“These cash profits were being flown into Queensland to be washed and returned to individuals,” he said.

Supt Telfer said investigations into the alleged $190m transactions with the Brisbane cryptocurrency exchange were ongoing, including whether money had been moved overseas.

Alincic faced Brisbane Arrests Court on Monday where police said he was the “key facilitator” in the alleged money laundering scheme while opposing his bail.

Magistrate Lewis Shillito said Alincic allegedly benefited “to the tune of $9.5 million” and said he used those funds to build a real estate portfolio.

Mr Shillito said Alincic also had links to businesses in Serbia and Canada.

He was granted bail with strict reporting conditions three times a week. Both of his passports have also been seized by police.

Alincic was born in Yugoslavia and came to Australia when he was three years old.

He grew up around Sunnybank and has a wife and two children.

His matter will return to court on August 1.

Originally published as Named: Four charged over alleged $190m Qld money laundering syndicate