A Perth man has been sentenced to 15 months’ jail by the Perth Magistrates Court for dealing with more than $200,000 cash suspected to be proceeds of drug crime.
Investigators identified the Morley man, 33, during an investigation into another Perth man, 32, who was arrested and charged with 12 offences related to drug trafficking.
Text messages showed the Morley man had allegedly been storing cash at his home for the Perth man.
Police executed a search warrant at the man’s Morley home on 1 April, 2023, and seized $234,850 in cash.
The cash allegedly belonged to the Perth man, 32, and is suspected to be the proceeds of drug crime, including the importation of multiple mail consignments containing cocaine.
AFP Inspector Matt Taylor said the AFP is committed to ensuring people do not profit from exploiting the wider community.
“Targeting the criminal economy by removing the profit derived from crime is a key strategy used by the AFP to disrupt organised criminal activity, and deliver maximum damage to criminal syndicates,” Inspector Taylor said
“Drug-related crime puts a huge strain on the community through increased health care costs, associated property crime and other forms of violence.
“We will continue to be relentless in targeting those who seek to profit from inflicting this misery.”
The Morley man, 33, pleaded guilty on 23 June, 2023 to dealing in proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more, contrary to section 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
He was yesterday (21 December, 2023) sentenced by the Perth Magistrates Court to a head sentence of 15 months. He has been released on a $10,000 recognisance order on the condition he is of good behavior for 15 months. He was also fined $5000.
The Perth man, 32, is due to reappear in the Perth Magistrates Court on 9 February.
