AN0M drug traffickers, money launderers caught in Operation Ironside get 300 years jail
Criminals using the “secret” AN0M app have been sentenced to three centuries of jail time, with dozens of cases still to hit court. See some of them who’ve been convicted.
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The Australian Federal Police “sting of the century” has resulted in 300 years’ jail for drug traffickers and money launderers.
An analysis of court records reveals the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and FBI’s Operation Ironside has secured 62 convictions.
Another 50 accused, rounded up in the global raids, including Comanchero bikie Mark Buddle, are challenging the evidence gathered from the AN0M app, in a process that could take three years.
The secret scheme distributed through the criminal community and then monitored 24 hours a day, scraped 27 million messages in total.
Operation Ironside was first revealed when 4000 police conducted raids across the country three years ago this month.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Kirsty Schofield said Ironside was the “biggest organised crime operation in the AFP’s 40-year history.”
“Not only have we severely disrupted organised crime in Australia, but we have made the community safer by ensuring serious criminals have been sentenced to long periods of imprisonment,’’ Asst. Comm. Schofield said.
Australian drug trafficker Hakan Ayik, who was arrested in Turkey last year, had unwittingly been a key player in distributing the AN0M app to his criminal connections.
The AFP was monitoring messages on the app for three years.
“During that period of time, we watched very frustrated criminals who could not work out how their illicit drugs were being captured by the AFP,” Asst. Comm. Schofield said.
“We were also able to refer threats to kill to state police who would immediately take action.”
The AFP also restrained $64.6 million in property, cars, jewellery and cash.
“In one case, an alleged offender told the AFP, ‘I can take going to jail, but don’t take my house’,” Asst. Comm. Schofield said.
BRENT MCLAUGHLIN
One of the largest Ironside sentences was handed to Brent McLaughlin, 41, who was jailed for 15 years for importing almost 500kg of ice from South Korea.
The Newcastle shipping container salesman had pleaded guilty to setting up a company and renting a warehouse to bring in the drugs.
Judge Gina O’Rourke said when sentencing McLaughlin in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court that he was motivated by greed and that he was a “senior” and “trusted” syndicate member.
DALE DAVID WILLIAMS
Dale David Williams was sent down for 16 years in Melbourne’s County Court for importing 289kg of ice in 1kg boxes labelled as Guan Yin Wang tea.
Police intercepted the shipment and replaced the ice with rock salt.
Judge Michael Cahill said referred to messages sent on the AN0M app when sentencing Williams.
“You exchanged messages with Boris Tukel, an alleged high-level drug trafficker, who was living in Turkey,” Judge Cahill said.
“You told him the third shipment was a “disaster”. You said your driver had picked up half of it “under surveillance” and taken it to a factory where he opened a kilogram packet and found rock salt.”
The judgement also revealed that Williams was in contact with “allegedly notorious drug smuggler Erol Ramazanoglu.”
Ramazanoglu was jailed for eight years in 2013 for importing ice hidden in beer bottles.
His alleged accomplice Anthony Phillip Sitar fled to Mexico and remains on the run, but was exposed in the Narcos: On the Frontline investigation last year as staying at the San Pancho’s Palmar Tropical Hotel.
Williams, who had previous convictions over a 20-year period, was given a discount for pleading guilty.
MATTHEW PETTIGREW
Matthew Pettigrew pleaded guilty to importing ice, attempting to import cocaine and dealing in the proceeds of crime in Victoria’s County Court.
The qualified fitter, who previously worked as a shift supervisor at Total Turbine Services, had been on the run from Perth bikies who blamed him for a missing drugs shipment.
He moved to Melbourne to escape a $100,000 debt but his drug use escalated.
“On 28 May 2021, you were arrested. You were in possession of 273.4 grams of pure methamphetamine for the purposes of sale,” the judgement said.
“I have sentenced Mr Pettigrew to an effective term of imprisonment of eight years and six months.”
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JARRAD JAMES JESSEN
Jarrad James Jessen was sentenced to five years jail in the District Court of Western Australia for dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The AFP had found $6.1 million in cash at his mother’s house, which was used as a “designated safe house”.
“Police found two electronic currency counters, vacuum sealing equipment, latex gloves and elastic bands,” the judgement said.
“At the time police entered, approximately $500,000 in cash was on a desk in a bedroom used for the counting of money.
“There were two plastic tubs containing quantities of cash labelled “Boss” and “Crew”.
Jessen was being used by a “large, highly organised syndicate” and had received training from a money laundering expert in New South Wales.
GIUSEPPE TUMINO
Real estate agent Giuseppe Tumino, 59, rented a property in Melbourne to a drug gang that used it as a “crop house” for marijuana plants.
The father-of-two tipped off the crime gang when police contacted him asking him for his tenants’ contact details.
“In any organised crime syndicate, having loyal people willing to pass information to the principal organisers to assist in avoiding detection is offending conduct that must be deterred and punished,” Judge Mullaly wrote.
“Your warning to the organisers about the police interest is concerning criminality.”
Tumino pleaded guilty to one count of supporting a criminal organisation and was given a “substantial fine with conviction” but avoided jail.
MIGEN CARCIA
Migen Carcia was sentenced to 11 months jail for “crop sitting” at a house in Melbourne that had a 65kg cannabis haul.
“The motivation in these enterprises and the motivation you had, was greed for the profits that are to be made,” Judge Mullaly wrote.
Carcia claimed that he moved from Albania to Australia in 2017 because criminals were trying to extort “money or gold” from him.
The self-employed tiler also argued for a reduced sentence because his wife had had a baby at the time he was to be sentenced.
Judge Mullaly said his sentence was “merciful” and noted that he was able to see the birth of his child because of an early birth.
HILARY RAPOLLARI
Waitress Hilary Rapollari was also among those caught as a result of Operation Ironside information.
The “underpaid” Italian waitress, who had Albanian heritage, was sentenced to six months’ suspended jail sentence for “crop sitting” at a house in Newbury St, Keysborough.
Rapollari left Australia after her appearance in Melbourne’s County Court.
TEREAPII POKOINA
Adelaide landscaper Tereapii Pokoina was sentenced to six years in jail after using his employer’s business name to import 14kg of pure cocaine.
The District Court heard the drugs were hidden in two welders shipped from Greece in 2020 and uncovered as part of Operation Ironside.
Pokoina pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
VREJ YEZEKELLIAN
The 67-year-old pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, dealing with suspected proceeds of crime and fraud offences after police discovered $125,400 in cash at his Bonnyrigg home in Sydney’s south west.
Yezekellian and a co-accused were arrested in May 2021, with the Downing Centre District Court hearing the pair had used the AN0M app and were to receive two shipments of cocaine totally 5kg sent to Sydney from Milan via California.
Yezekellian was sentenced to 11 years in jail and will be eligible for parole in November, 2027.
DUC BUI
Duc Bui has been jailed for three years after being involved in a $1.7 million money laundering operation.
BRETT ANTHONY SMITH
Brett Anthony Smith was sentenced to three years’ jail after pleading guilty to trafficking a marketable quantity of a controlled drug.
AFP officers who searched Smith’s Maroubra home on June 8, 2021, as part of Operation Ironside found $279,850 in cash hidden behind a kickboard under the kitchen sink, as well as 544.6g of cocaine in heat sealed bags and a tupperware container.
Another $48,275 cash was found in a plastic bag in a bedroom drawer.
In September 2022, Smith was sentenced to five yeas in jail, with a non-parole period of three years.
stephen.drill@news.com.au
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