AFP Platypus Annual 2019
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ANNUAL 2019 Contents Commissioner’s message The platypus has been adopted by the Australian 5 Federal Police as a symbol representing the diverse requirements placed on members in the execution of ANNUAL Keeping Australia Safe: Joint their duties. 2019 Counter Terrorism Team foil This unique and tenacious Australian animal is a Christmas plot 6 survivor against increasing pressure from today’s environment. It leaves no stone unturned in its daily pursuits and has equipped itself with a range of Keeping Australia Safe: Protecting features to adapt to changes over many years. children drives investigators 10 It is capable of passing unnoticed if required, yet it Cover images: Selected demonstrates an unfailing dedication to explore all photos from this edition. ACT Policing Snapshot 14 possibilities in an effort to maintain its special place in Australia’s environment. Busy 40th for AFP 16 Although generally a peaceful animal, the platypus is able to defend itself, if necessary, with a venomous The AFP 1979 - 2019 timeline 22 spur. This is done, at times, against larger and more powerful opponents—a quality admired and respected by members of the Australian Federal Police. Keeping Australia Safe: AFP tracks down financial fraudsters 26 Keeping Australia Safe: The largest meth seizure that almost never was 30 Surprise gift for the AFP’s 40th34 Edition 124 Editor: Dom Byrne Staying on track: AFP family Design: Metka Kosec AFP Media and Engagement honours Detective Sergeant Contributors: Alexia Boland, Gab Knowles, Mark Scott Dominic Lavers, Shelby Houghton & Joe 42 Marsden (AFP National Media). Terry Browne (AFP Museum). Emma Bailey (ACT Keeping Australia Safe: Policing) ISSN 1441-8061 Child protection team closes AFP Platypus Magazine is the journal of the Australian Federal Police. Manila net 44 Requests for permission to reprint material appearing in Platypus, and all general Keeping Australia Safe: Cocaine correspondence, should be addressed to: The Editor import not smooth sailing 48 AFP Platypus Magazine AFP Media and Engagement Fly in, fly out GPO Box 401 52 Canberra ACT 2601 Telephone (02) 5126 0000 Platypus marks 40 years Email: [email protected] 58 Opinions expressed in published articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect AFP policy. AFP PLATYPUS MAGAZINE 2019 Annual 3 Commissioner’s message Welcome to the 2019 Platypus Annual. In October 2019 I was appointed as the AFP’s eighth Commissioner. All AFP members, sworn and unsworn, were As I write this, AFP teams across the country are serving our invited to contribute to a journey of organisational reform community and assisting partner agencies with Australia’s — at its heart, a ‘100 Day Plan of Action’. We commenced response to COVID-19. These are challenging times, and it three key reviews to support reform: one into sensitive AFP is great to see a police force that can rise to that challenge. investigations, conducted by Mr John Lawler AM APM; one The Platypus Annual gives us a chance to look back on the into AFP organisational design, by Ernst and Young; and a previous year, celebrate our successes, and reflect on who review of the structure of the Office of Commissioner and we are as an organisation. the establishment of the National Operations and State When I look at the AFP, I see a police force full of passionate, Services Centre. As we move into 2020 the AFP is surging dedicated people, looking to make a difference to their ahead with implementing the recommendations made by community. Sworn or unsworn, we choose to work in law these reviews. enforcement for a reason. This passion drives us and unites I am no fan of reform for reform’s sake, and in everything us, and when we reflect on our achievements, together, we we do I ask that we consider three key principles: support build our shared identity. the front line, reduce red tape, and enhance relationships 2019 was a significant year. We celebrated the AFP’s with our state and territory partners. The situation in 40th anniversary, with our members commemorating Australia and the world today will test us, and we need to this significant milestone in a variety of ways, notably seize the opportunity to see how we respond. How do the the 2019 AFP Legacy Ball and 40th anniversary awards actions we take, as individuals and teams, strive towards ceremony held in November. our principles? How do we come out of these challenges as a stronger police force? Ask yourself: how do my actions Operationally, we had many successes across the board. today, make a better AFP tomorrow? The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team had a successful outcome in the sentencing of four Melbourne men who Join me as we reflect on some of the AFP’s significant attempted to plot a Christmas terror attack in 2016. The achievements throughout the past year. The Platypus 2019 work of the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team resulted Annual is part of the story of how we got to where we are in the global rescue of 50 children and the arrest of today. Next year, we will look back at the achievements several predators, with work ongoing to help another 100 that we have made under great adversity, and how we used National Police suspected victims. We also played a key role in the largest- those to make us even stronger. ever methamphetamine seizure on US soil, which was also the largest-ever shipment bound for Australia, and prevented 1.7 tonnes from reaching our community. Remembrance Day We remember Detective Sergeant Mark Scott, who passed away in 2007 after a plane crash in Indonesia, together with Commander Brice Steel. In this Annual, we tell the story of Tuesday, 29 September 2020 Mark’s wife Sally and two daughters Emily and Stephanie, who walked the 146km Kokoda Trail in his honour during April 2019. Commissioner Reece Kershaw AFP PLATYPUS MAGAZINE 2019 Annual 5 KEEPING AUSTRALIA SAFE IN 2019 Joint Counter Terrorism Investigators carried out covert surveillance on the men as they sat at Melbourne’s iconic Team’s swift action Federation Square plotting the holiday terror attack, while crowds passed them by. “Unbeknown to these would-be “During the investigation of Operation “Understanding a terrorists, we were already watching Kastelholm we discovered that just and gathering evidence ready to foil weeks earlier the same group had praised over foiled serious attack was their plans,” he said. been involved in two suspicious blazes and vandalism acts at a Melbourne The fast-acting Melbourne-based JCTT imminent, investigators mosque. They were brought to our had already sprung into action just attention as the main suspects in the were working around days earlier on December 16. They were destruction of the mosque in what was swiftly working to investigate and track Christmas terror plot also an Islamic State-motivated attack.” the clock to monitor the men identified as Ahmed Mohamed, the situation. We brothers Hamza Abbas and Ibrahim In addition, the JCTT identified that By Alexia Boland, AFP National Media Abbas, and their cousin Abdullah both Mohamed and Chaarani had were there watching Chaarani, all aged in their twenties. separately attempted to travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in mid-2015. “These men shared significant support Investigators believe the pair would as the four carried for violent jihad and frequently have each continued onto Syria in discussed, downloaded and circulated Four Melbourne men who The AFP, Victoria Police and the attack, while crowds passed them by out reconnaissance hopes of joining IS, should they have terrorist propaganda materials. They attempted to plot a Christmas Australian Security Intelligence on the evening December 20, 2016. been permitted to travel. Organisation (ASIO), were among of Flinders Street, were sympathetic to Islamic State (IS) AFP Counter Terrorism Federal terror attack in public will the agencies involved in the JCTT and in the months leading up to their “Our intelligence indicated that these Agent Lindsay Hall said that the collectively spend at least 122 investigation known as ‘Operation Federation Square and planned attack had viewed a number of men had the intention to carry out group’s blatant daylight meeting violent videos and articles encouraging an attack using improvised explosive years behind bars, having been Kastelholm’. and obvious gesturing towards St Paul’s Cathedral in terrorist acts, including one specifically devices (IEDs), machetes, knives and sentenced in 2019 thanks to Investigators carried out covert the Melbourne landmarks was the Melbourne CBD.” encouraging attacks at Melbourne firearms, with the aim of killing as the efforts of the Victorian Joint surveillance on the men as they sat “chilling” and highlighted their Airport and St Paul’s Cathedral. many citizens as possible,” Federal at Melbourne’s iconic Federation determination to inflict maximum Agent Hall said. Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT). Square plotting the holiday terror violence on the Australian public. 6 AFP PLATYPUS MAGAZINE 2019 Annual AFP PLATYPUS MAGAZINE 2019 Annual 7 KEEPING AUSTRALIA SAFE IN 2019 KEEPING AUSTRALIA SAFE IN 2019 The group’s Intelligence blatant daylight showed that the meeting men intended and obvious to carry out an gesturing attack using towards the improvised Melbourne explosives, landmarks was machetes, knives “chilling”. and firearms, with the aim of killing as many citizens as possible. Evidence presented in court showed continued to view more Islamic State Federal Agent Hall said that during The remaining trio, Ahmed Mohamed, He said Operation Kastleholm the men were motivated to carry out propaganda videos. formal police interview, Ibrahim Abbas “We found and seized Hamza Abbas and Abdullah Chaarani was another example of the JCTT’s the attack in pursuit of their ideological admitted that the group’s attack had were all found guilty by a jury in commitment to protecting the By December 22, the group’s and religious objectives to wage violent been imminent, while also shedding machetes, partly November 2018, after a 10-week trial.