Organised Crime Squad detectives have charged a 28-year-old man in relation to the seizure of approximately $3.5 million cash on Thursday 5 March 2020.
A search warrant was executed at a residence on Canning Highway, Como. It will be alleged $10,000 cash was located concealed in a Nissan Navara that was parked in the garage. A 28-year-old man who resides at the residence was arrested.
Detectives subsequently executed a search warrant at a residence in Belvedere Street, Belmont. The residence is a short-stay accommodation property which was being rented by the 28-year-old man. It will be alleged approximately $3.5 million cash was located in two suitcases. It will be further alleged two money counting machines and other items consistent with those used for packaging money were also located.
A 28-year-old man from Como has been charged with two counts of ‘Laundering Property/Money from Proceeds of Major Offence’ He was refused bail and appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday 6 March 2020 and is next due to appear in the same court on Friday 20 March 2020.
Detective Superintendent Tony LONGHORN, Serious and Organised Crime Division, said the seizure of cash is an important step in disrupting the business model used by those involved in unlawful activity.
“Regardless of the nature of the unlawful activity being conducted, cash is central to funding those activities and is also the intended end result in terms of profiting from those unlawful activities.
“The seizure of cash represents the removal of those profits and prevents that cash from being used to fund further unlawful activity or from being laundered to become assets held by those controlling the cash and associated unlawful activity.
“$3.5 million is a significant amount of money, which will now be deemed a frozen asset pending the outcome of the judicial process.”
