Security business 'acted as a front' for $100 million money laundering syndicate
A sixth person has been charged in connection with a
south-west Sydney security business that allegedly acted as a front to launder
$100 million from organised crime groups in Australia and abroad.
Assure Protection Services in Guildford was raided by the
NSW Criminal Groups Squad in July last year, after an unrelated drug
investigation uncovered an alleged money laundering syndicate.
Police allege the security firm was a semi-legitimate
business servicing retail, industrial and commercial industries, however its
primary function was to “act as a front” for the money laundering operation;
taking cash, depositing it at local banks, withdrawing it and handing it back.
In July 2019, three people were arrested and charged,
including the alleged ringleader Gagandeep Pahwa, 30, his domestic partner
Gopali Dahl, 30, and their associate Bipin Thapa, 29.
Later, another two men were also charged; Nitin Kapila, 30,
and Manminder Singh, 31.
The five remain before the courts on money laundering
offences, with Mr Pahwa and Mr Singh still in custody.
On Wednesday a sixth man - Firos El Kotob, 44 - will face
Parramatta Local Court charged with knowingly directing activities of a
criminal group and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime with intent to
conceal.
Police will allege he organised the collection of large sums
of money and directed other members of the syndicate to deposit the cash at
various financial institutions before it was remitted to China.
Mr El Kotob did not apply for bail however bail was formally
refused. He will next appear in court on June 4.
After raids on the security business police alleged
syndicate members collected cash and moved it through a series of financial
transactions in order to disguise its origins and to "give it legitimacy.”
The cash was then allegedly withdrawn and returned to
organised crime syndicates or remitted offshore.
Investigators say Mr Pahwa and Ms Dahl played a key role in
the daily operations of the business as well as the associated criminal group.
Company records reveal Mr Pahwa is a former director and
secretary of the company that owns Assure Protection Services (formerly Sharp
Eyes Security Services Pty Ltd). The business name is owned by Pahwa Group of
Companies Pty Ltd, of which Ms Dahl was the company director, secretary and
sole shareholder.
Not all employees of Assure Protection Services were
involved in the criminal operation.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Read last year described the
operation as "complex" and said all of the money handled by the
alleged syndicate was believed to be the proceeds of organised crime.
One of the accused, Mr Singh, allegedly facilitated the
movement of cash by depositing large amounts at bank branches in NSW, Victoria
and Western Australia, to be remitted to China.
On a single day in 2018 he allegedly made nine trips to
different banks across Sydney to deposit a total $445,000, in amounts ranging
from $45,000 to $75,000.
Mr Singh is an Indian national who was in Australia on an
expired visa at the time of his arrest.
The alleged syndicate was discovered by Strike Force Tippet,
an unrelated investigation into large-scale supply of cocaine, GHB and steroids
across south-west Sydney.
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