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SYDNEY: Seven members of the Chinese crime syndicate allegedly laundered hundreds of millions of dollars have been arrested by Australian police. The crime was perpetrated using one of Australia's largest money remitters after a giant sting operation involving United States Homeland Security, according to the local news.
Police reported on Thursday (Oct 26) that the Chinese Long River crime syndicate allegedly laundered (US$143 million) through the Changjiang Currency Exchange, one of the country's largest independently-owned remitters with dozens of shops nationwide, between 2020 and 2023.
It was reported that over 330 police and other specialists arrested seven alleged members of the syndicate, including four Chinese nationals, on Wednesday during 20 search warrants across five states.
Investigators' suspicions were first raised when the exchange opened new branches during COVID-19 despite the pandemic affecting many of its international tourist and student customers who had returned home, it was reported.
The reports revealed further that formal investigation, codenamed Operation Avarus-Nightwolf began in August 2022 with the help of six other agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
Police allege the syndicate camouflaged the proceeds of cyber scams, illicit goods trafficking and other crime within the exchange's mostly lawful daily transactions, which were as high as US$63 million
The source said that proceeds allegedly funded an extravagant lifestyle of expensive restaurants, private jets and luxury homes, one valued at more than US$6.3 million. Police have quarantined more than US$31.5 million in assets.
Police also alleged the syndicate had purchased fake passports, valued at US$126000 each, in case members needed to flee Australia.
Police said that the seven arrested who are aged between 35 to 40 will appear in a Melbourne, Australia court on Thursday.
澳洲警方逮捕了與中國組織犯罪有關的7名洗錢1.43億美元的人
雪梨：涉嫌洗錢數億美元的中國犯罪集團的七名成員已被澳洲警方逮捕。 根據當地新聞報道，這起犯罪事件是在美國國土安全部參與的一次大規模誘捕行動後，利用澳洲最大的匯款機構之一實施的。
警方週四（10 月26 日）報告稱，中國長河犯罪集團涉嫌在2020 年至2023 年間透過長江貨幣交易所洗錢（1.43 億美元）。長江貨幣交易所是中國最大的獨立匯款機構之一，在全國擁有數十家商店。
據報道，週三，超過 330 名警察和其他專家在五個州發出 20 次搜查令，逮捕了 7 名涉嫌該犯罪團伙的成員，其中包括 4 名中國公民。
據報道，調查人員首次提出懷疑是在該交易所在新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情期間開設新分行時，儘管該流行病影響了許多回國的國際遊客和學生客戶。
報告進一步透露，在包括美國國土安全調查部在內的其他六個機構的幫助下，代號為「阿瓦魯斯-夜狼行動」的正式調查於 2022 年 8 月開始。
警方稱，該犯罪集團在該交易所大部分合法的日常交易中掩蓋了網路詐騙、非法商品販運和其他犯罪的收益，金額高達 6,300 萬美元
消息人士稱，據稱所得收益用於資助奢侈的生活方式，包括昂貴的餐廳、私人飛機和豪華住宅，其中一套價值超過 630 萬美元。 警方已查封超過 3,150 萬美元的資產。
警方還指控該集團購買了假護照，每本價值 126,000 美元，以防成員需要逃離澳洲。
警方表示，被捕的七名年齡在 35 歲至 40 歲之間的人將於週四在澳洲墨爾本法院出庭。
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