$10m fake luxury goods ring busted
Police have busted a $10m counterfeit luxury goods ring, seizing nine luxury cars, hundreds of fake designer items, cash, and a firearm in sweeping raids across western Sydney.
Organised Crime Squad detectives arrested three men in the early-morning raids sparked by an extensive investigation into an organised criminal syndicate allegedly involved in selling fake luxury goods. Fake watches were seized. NewsWire Handout Credit: NewsWire
Officers allege the group used social media sites to sell fake high-end clothing, shoes, handbags and watches, moving an estimated $9.75m in profits through various bank accounts.
Strike Force Alcova detectives swooped on properties in Fairfield East, Merrylands and Guildford, on Wednesday, locating nine cars including Lamborghinis worth about $3m, more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, $270,000 in cash, and a gel blaster firearm. A gel blaster firearm was discovered. NewsWire Handout Credit: NewsWire $270,000 in cash was also seized. NewsWire Handout Credit: NewsWire
A 30-year old in Fairfield East, a 33-year old in Merrylands and a 30-year-old in Guildford were arrested and taken to Granville Police Station.
The 30-year old Fairfield East man was charged with multiple offences including concealing proceeds of crime, and participating in a criminal group.
The 33-year-old man from Merrylands was charged with similar offences and the 30-year old from Guildford was also charged with failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.
All three were refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court later on Thursday. Three men were arrested. NewsWire Handout Credit: NewsWire
Organised Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said the arrests sent a clear message to organised crime groups.
'We will allege these individuals built a multimillion-dollar empire by deceiving consumers and undermining legitimate businesses,' he said.
'Behind the filters and followers was a sophisticated criminal enterprise exploiting digital platforms to sell counterfeit luxury goods.
'This kind of organised crime will not go unchecked. The NSW Police Force, working closely with the NSW Crime Commission, has not only arrested those responsible but are actively targeting the profits they've made illegally.'
NSW Crime Commission executive director Darren Bennett added the operation had uncovered a significant stockpile of assets.
'The evidence suggests this criminal group stockpiled significant wealth – vehicles, cash, and luxury goods – through the sale of counterfeit items. These assets are now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission,' he said.
'We've commenced proceedings to recover millions of dollars, with the aim of returning that money to the people of NSW. This is a clear example of how financial investigations can strike at the heart of organised crime.'
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
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Police prosecutors pressed for the trio to remain behind bars, pointing to a strong case that involved large amounts of funds being transferred into the personal bank accounts of the three men. There was a risk the men would not appear in court and could flee the country as they had access to sizeable sums of money, magistrate Emma Manea was told. While police said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, the figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents said the alleged offences only took place from 2022. Ms Manea will hand down her bail decision on Friday. Organised Crime Squad commander Peter Faux revealed earlier on Thursday that a delivery van "full of fake goods" pulled up as police were executing a search warrant in the case. Officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches all imported from China, across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. "These three premises looked like a department store when you went inside of them, with all the goods that were set up," Detective Superintendent Faux said. "It was a very professional outfit." Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. "They're living an extremely luxurious lifestyle, they're flaunting that lifestyle, they're driving up and down their streets in cars worth in excess of a million (dollars)," Det Supt Faux said. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said.
