News Centre

Editor’s note: Grow house vision available via Hightail

The AFP have charged a Victorian man with connections to Albanian organised crime, after allegedly trafficking $1.2 million dollars’ worth of cannabis between Victoria and New South Wales and dealing with illicit cash, as a result of intelligence from the AFP’s disruption to a major encrypted communications platform.

The Hillside man, 38, was identified during AFP-led Operation KRAKEN, as an alleged reseller of an encrypted criminal communications (ECC) device ‘Ghost’ used to coordinate secret communications between members of an Albanian organised criminal syndicate.

As a result of this intelligence, police linked him to the seizure of $140,000 in illicit cash hidden in a vehicle on the Hume Highway on 21 June 2024, and the seizure of 28kg of cannabis, $255,000 in illicit cash, and a Porsche Cayenne vehicle in New South Wales on 15 August, 2024.

New South Wales Police Force’s State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad arrested a Sydney man for his alleged involvement in the seizure in August, 2024.

Officers from the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF), comprising of AFP and Victoria Police officers executed three search warrants on Tuesday 17 September, 2024, in the Victorian suburbs of Hillside and Aintree where they located and seized 25kg of mature cannabis plants.

Officers from the JOCTF arrested the Hillside man and an Aintree man, 27, yesterday (Tuesday 17 September).

The Hillside man was later charged with one count of:

• One count of sell marketable quantity of a controlled plant namely cannabis contrary to s. 304.2 Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
• One count of dealing with money suspects as being proceeds of crime in excess of $100,000 contrary to s.400.9(1) Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
• One count of cultivate for a commercial purpose a controlled plant, namely cannabis contrary to s.303.6 Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

He faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 17 September, 2024, and was remanded to reappear in court on Monday 23 September 2024.

Note to media

Media are encouraged to include help-seeking information in stories about illicit drugs to minimise any negative impact on people in the community. The following services provide people with access to support and information.

• For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015
• Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online
• Information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment.

More information

• AFP Operation Kraken charges alleged head of global organised crime app

Case studies

• Operation Kraken Rishi – Alleged criminal syndicate disrupted in Melbourne, exposed in takedown of Ghost platform
• Criminal syndicate dismantled as part of AFP takedown of encrypted organised crime network
• Six arrested following investigation into criminal syndicate accused of manufacturing false terrorism plot
• NSW-based drug organised crime syndicate dismantled, four men arrested
• Op Kraken-Ryloth: Victorian duo charged over alleged plans for illicit tobacco import
• Operation Kraken: AFP restrains almost $2 million in assets in WA investigation
• Operation Kraken: AFP charges WA man for allegedly refusing to provide access to an electronic device
• Operation Kraken-Veron: South Australian man charged for alleged role in criminal syndicate