Busted: Recent Episodes
Busted Australia
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles.
BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
Rohan Pike has an extensive career in law enforcement and Border Force and understands the sophisticated nature of how criminal thugs are cheating our system and hurting our communities.
Heath Michael brings experience from the retail and trade sector, and how there needs to be collaboration amongst law enforcement across Australia to protect Australian businesses.
This episode BUSTED take a look at some very BAD SANTAS over the years from arson to bank robbers all for the last episode for 2021
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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Something not so good is baking this episode on Busted Rohan, the husband and wife owners of a Sydney cake store have been charged over a range of human trafficking and slavery offences. A major drug operation targeting the alleged trafficking of methylamphetamine and cannabis throughout Queensland's central highlands has wrapped on Monday, leading to the arrest of 20 people. And, an American national has been charged over allegedly scamming millions of dollars from retirees in Sydney.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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On this episode we look at Perth man arrested after Mounties allegedly find drugs hidden behind painting, 1.5kg cocaine found in a playstation and 30 people busted in a drug operation.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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On this episode of BUSTED we’re looking back at the most memorable stories from Busted. How time flies when you’re talking crime. For our regular viewers, you might remember some of these stories over the last 12 months.
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Three men have appeared before a Melbourne court after allegedly helming one of Australia’s biggest money laundering syndicates. Accused of purchasing the identities of hundreds of foreign students on the dark web to wash cash and move tens of millions of dollars offshore. Police allege the ring laundered at least $62 million of cash using the dormant bank accounts of 250 students who have returned to China after studying in Australia.
A familiar face for BUSTED – glamorous bank worker is arrested AGAIN and charged with 112 offences over ‘sophisticated’ alleged scam. Former St George bank worker Sara Daizli, 29 was hit with more fraud charges on Thursday. This comes after she was charged with 15 fraud-related offences last December.
Australians have been urged to exercise caution as thousands fall prey to a convincing new phone scam impersonating the Australian Border Force. Scamwatch has received more than 4940 reports of the scam – which involves someone claiming to be an Australian Border Force (ABF) officer – so far this year, clocking up more than $121,800 in financial losses. Under the ploy, unsuspecting individuals received a recorded message from the alleged officer, suggesting a parcel addressed to the person had been intercepted and seized for supposedly containing illegal components.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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On this episode of BUSTED, Rohan and Heath look the ABFs reported stats of $2 billion worth of illegal tobacco, the latest on a crackdown on gang activity in Launceston, a clandestine lab bust and a radical Islamic preacher jailed for selling drugs. ILLEGAL tobacco worth almost $2bn was seized at Australia's borders in the last financial year in a major crackdown on the black market trade controlled by organised crime syndicates. That’s triple on what they seized last year!
Twenty people have been charged after a five-week crackdown on gangs in Launceston. The joint operation was between Tasmania Police and Australian Federal Police. Police seized a total of $143,000 in cash, as well as firearms and illicit drugs.
Police raided residential, commercial and rural properties in Yarra Glen, Brighton East and Cheltenham as part of an investigation into the large-scale manufacture of methylamphetamine at short term rental properties.
And a radical Islamic preacher has been jailed for a maximum of nine years for selling drugs to an undercover police officer. Get the full story on this episode of BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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A Tassie drug bust uncovers a lot more than meets the eye. Hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from a local post office. And a shocking attack leaves a man with serious burns.
Tasmanian police, the AFP and Border Force have arrested two men in Hobart, allegedly in connection to an importation of Ice with a potential street value of nearly $5 million. Police monitored a parcel first detected between multiple addresses before nabbing the suspects. You’ll never believe what it was hidden in!
A couple have been arrested for allegedly stealing nearly $430,000 over two years from Australia Post. The very complex and calculated operations saw the money go into 30 different bank accounts. What’s worse? One of the pair was an employee of the local post office they allegedly stole from. Find out more here.
And a horrifying attack in Brisbane was uncovered after a man allegedly poured an unknown substance on another man. The screams we’re described like that of a ‘dying bull’. Find out more about this story here.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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A very creative excuse from this Queenslander as to why he was in possession of drugs and other drug paraphernalia. Kym Sweet claimed that he had two distinct personas or two different personalities, one of which he claims is not subject to Queensland law. Find out the bizarre his reasoning he laid out in court!
A 30-something-year-old woman, living with her mother in Dubbo, has been found to be heavily involved in a major drug syndicate, running the communications management for the syndicate boss. Find out what police found!
Ryan Thomas Webster-Mill allegedly made off with over $4,000 worth of cigarettes, vapes and tobacco products, which no doubt he’d be able to offload for quite a price on the black market. You won't believe what police have alleged he did in court!
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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On this episode BUSTED take a look at more celebrities who think they’re above the law, a scam that netted thousands from an unsuspecting woman in her 80s and a man arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of meth into the country.
Rohan and Heath chat about drug laws after a Instagram influencer gets caught snorting a white substance online - breaching COVID orders in Melbourne.
An elderly woman contacted on social media by a man pretending to be an AFP officer was allegedly convinced to withdraw nearly $25,000, which he then collected from her home. Find out how the cops caught the alleged scammer.
And NSW Police have charged a man over the alleged importation of $300,000 of ice hidden in industrial equipment, following a joint investigation with the Australian Border Force (ABF).
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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On this episode we look at an alleged online puppy scam which raked in tens of thousands of dollars, a huge bust from the AFP, Border Force and NSW Police, and a pensioner who allegedly pushed drugs from his retirement home.
A man living at a quiet retirement village in Sydney’s north-west has been arrested after allegedly dealing drugs out of his unit. Police allege 62-year-old Gary Halford has been selling ice, cannabis and LSD from the Mountainview Retreat in Dural. Find out how the cops caught him!
A huge tobacco bust linked to a bikie gang has been thwarted by a joint taskforce comprising of the AFP, ABF and NSW Police. $8 million worth of illegal tobacco were seized by Border Force officers after disassembling a cargo shipment. You won’t believe what they tried to hide it in.
And unsuspecting prospective puppy owners have been scammed tens of thousands of dollars through a scam operating in Victoria. Find out how the 42 year old alleged con artist was caught!
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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On this episode of BUSTED, Rohan and Heath look at a very series of arrests in connection to a very large drug seizure in Melbourne. An adult entertainment business owner’s strange weeks long rampage terrorising his neighbours and attacking police and a man who’s banned from being anywhere near an airport.
The owner of a male stripper and adult entertainment business has narrowly missed jail after an 'abhorrent' rampage through Brisbane. Find out what the man did during his scuffles with police...
A Sunnybank Hills man has been banned from being near any airports and has had to surrender his passport after allegedly being involved in the importation of...illegal tobacco. Find out what the ABF are worried he might skip town.
And a huge amount of drugs has been found in an alleged safe house in Melbourne. Five men have been charged allegedly in connection to the massive haul of methylamphetamine . What police uncovered in their investigations is shocking.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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On this episode we look at a man who was once dubbed a success story for small businesses on a television commercial, pleading guilty to drugs charges. The Australian Border Force arrest a man for allegedly importing firearms and firearms parts from the US and thousands of dollars of vapes and illegal tobacco seized in Deniliquin.
A man who was in a commercial, encouraging migrants to start small businesses in Australia has admitted to planning to import drugs into the country. Hamid Ranjbarian was arrested in 2019 for trying to smuggle 40kg of meth from the Middle East and Asia.
Thousands of dollars in illegal tobacco products including vapes, chop chop and illegally imported cigarettes — have been seized from a Deniliquin business. Health workers from Murrumbidgee Local Health District found the items during a routine inspection.
A 54 year old man has been arrested in Adelaide after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers located undeclared firearm parts concealed within his baggage on return to Australia from the United States of America. Find out what else cops found when they searched his house on this episode of BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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From yet another D-Grade celebrity facing drugs charges, more on illicit tobacco imports, and how an ex-boxer and drug trafficker got involved in a prison riot. This episode of BUSTED unpacks some crime news stories you’ve heard and a few you may have missed.
A man’s been charged with drug, driving and weapons offences in Sydney’s inner city. A bit of lucky police work here as the cops pulled this bloke over…for talking on his mobile phone. You won’t believe what they allegedly found after searching his vehicle.
The shocking acts of an ex-boxer currently on remand for drug offences have been revealed. While serving time behind bars this bloke allegedly got involved in a prison riot.
And drug dealer has will accept a five-month sentence for allegedly trafficking the drug Ice. Find out which former d-lister celeb he was caught with.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
Coups, Cops and Robbers - this episode of BUSTED has it all.
A Perth man is facing charges as part of a fake video went viral online, allegedly calling for the federal government to be overthrown. The police were so concerned they called this a "coup". You won't believe what police found when they searched his house.
Another armed robber targeting convenience stores, this time in Adelaide. Cash and cigarettes were stolen after a man allegedly in a facemask and armed with a knife entered the service station in Walkerville.
And two bumbling idiots have left a lot of damage but stole very little after two ram raids in Melbourne. They 'targeted' a beauty store and a hobby shop...allegedly stealing amongst other things...a $34 train set. Find out how much the cost to repair the damage will be and more on the other stories in this episode.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode of BUSTED a former Olympian gets sentenced, an absurd story involving a tram and a fake gun and the Australian Border Force confirming what we’ve been warning about.'
A long stint in gaol for former Olympic kayaker Nathan along with his brother after being caught trying to smuggle $200 million worth of cocaine into the country.
A Gold Coast crime spree ended when a man crash into a tram and held a woman at gun point. After pleading guilty and despite having a long criminal history...he's out of prison.
And authorities are comfirming what BUSTED have long been suspecting with criminal groups turning to tobacco crops after the overseas supply coming through the borders have dried up. Find out the risks to workers and communities on this episode of BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
D-listers on drug charges, more fallout from Operation Ironside and how a Colombian national working in Australia Post got involved in cocaine imports. A former heartthrob on a popular TV show has been charged with drug possession in Melbourne. Orpheus Pledger was allegedly caught in Februarys 19 with half a gram of the drug ice.
A Colombian man working for Australia Post has allegedly been BUSTED with 2 kilos of coke hidden in coffee tins. Jose David Pardo Tellez has been charged with possessing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug amongst other offenses.
And four men have been arrested as part of Operation Ironside. They are alleged to be part of a drug-trafficking syndicate after police used the now compromised ANOM app to seize $288 million worth of meth. Learn more about these stories on this episode of BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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Drugs aren't the only thing criminals try to smuggle past Australia's border. Tarantulas, piglets and other animals harmful to the nation's biosecurity. Illegal animal imports have significant impacts on our crucial agriculture industries. These sorts of imports are usually orchestrated by organised crime groups who use the revenue to fund other illegal activities and their extravagant lifestyles.
An armed robber has once again hit a tobacconist in Queensland. The balaclava clad man armed with a machete stormed the Rasmussen store and demanded cash and....cigarettes. The 45 year old female attendant was not hurt but severely shaken up.
And South Australian police have uncovered a steroid lab in Adelaide. Police identified a number of packages they thought were suspicious and tracked it down to a huge steroid operation. Find out the extraordinary excuse the man's legal team used on this episode of BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We’re unpacking some crime news stories you’ve heard and a few you might have missed. From illegal gummy bears getting through our border to wannabe chemists cooking up a stink in Bendigo.
Australian Border Force (ABF) are concerned about those attempting to import products containing cannabis or cannabidiol (CBD) oil. They've noticed a significant increase in these products coming into the border and have warned that people will be prosecuted if they try to bring them in illegally.
We like breaking stereotypes at BUSTED. There's no single face for drug use and we've got the list to prove it. Check out who's dealing and using in your community and find out how it's possible to impact anyone.
And finally a breaking bad style operation has been BUSTED in Bendigo. Find out what happened when police raided the site and what they found.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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This episode of BUSTED we’ll be once again taking a look at the crime stories unfolding in the suburbs of Australian capital cities. From wannabe celebrities to wannabe extremists, we are going to be unpacking some of the top news stories and some you might have missed.
An alleged ISIS terrorist has been arrested in Western Sydney. Police were concerned after his rhetoric had increased drastically and decided to intervene. The things they found in his home will shock you.
A report by consultancy KPMG has found the high price of tobacco in Australia is driving up the black market trade. Sometimes perceived as a 'victimless crime' find out what kind of criminal activities are funded by their sale.
And finally a D-Lister wannabe celebrity is in the headlines again, with the colourful ex-girlfriend of a football player charged with allegedly defrauding more than $50,000 from a former boss.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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This week on BUSTED we have a few stories involving trafficking and the real impact this has on people trying to buy illicit substances on the street when cops come down hard.
A huge crime syndicate is BUSTED in a joint US/Australian operation in Queensland, some people in Logan steaming about the lack of illegal tobacco after the police there raided illegal shops last week and a Western Sydney bodybuilder has narrowly avoided jail over his steroids stash.
A Queensland crime syndicate has been smashed by the AFP in Operation Ironside. The decrypted messages sent using the Anom network revealed a huge amount of firearms and drugs being moved all across the country.
Smokers in Logan are furious after their local chop-chop supply dried up due to a series of raids by the police. The two tobacconists were raided after allegedly selling illegal cigarettes. It’s safe to assume the local cops weren’t very sympathetic.
And finally, a Sydney ‘influencer’ has only just avoided jail after his steroids selling ring was crushed by the cops. Marven Yacoub from South West Sydney used his real name when sending the packages to his warehouse. Find out the ridiculous way the cops were able to uncover his operation and all the other stories on BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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Big deals big busts on this episode of BUSTED. Whether it be smuggled in industrial equipment, or through dodgy baggage handlers on the take, drugs and contraband get into Australia in all sorts of ways. This episode will look at the big busts that law enforcement have secured and the clever police tactics that helped catch the crooks involved.
An overseas crime syndicate has been BUSTED trying to smuggle in almost 80 kilos of heroin into Perth. The drugs were hidden in large scale industrial equipment making it the largest seizure of heroin in WA history. Find out where the tip off came from and how the ABF swooped in.
Even our airports aren’t safe from crime syndicates trying to smuggle illegal items into the country. Air, ground and baggage crew are at risk of being targeted by gangs with up to 150 Qantas staff believed to have links to organised crime. Bikies and Middle-Eastern crime gangs have formed an ‘Aussie Cartel’ from their offshore lairs to direct operations in Australia.
Police have seized nearly $50 million of illegal tobacco in Logan and Brisbane. A huge bust that has put a massive dent on local illegal tobacco sellers. What’s worse – police recovered 150,000 vapes that could have ended up in the hands of children being sold for as little as $20 each! 5 people were arrested in the raid.
And finally – Rohan and Heath discuss the latest gang shooting terrifying Sydneysiders as rival families fight their vendettas brazenly on the streets. This time they emerge from the quiet suburbs and cause chaos in the middle of the Sydney CBD.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week on BUSTED we are looking at the more smuggling of illicit products, whether it is meth or illicit tobacco. We also have some d-grade celebrities you might recognise charged with serious drug trafficking crimes. And some unfortunate stories involving children abusing nicotine and alcohol.
Expensive cars, cash, luxury watches were all taken away by authorities in a luxury car scam bust by NSW Police. Four people were arrested as part of the scam where they faked some documents, bought luxury cars then sold the cars onto others….with the finance not repaid.
The scourge of children vaping is rife amongst kids as young as 12! School children are buying the vapes online and selling them on to their friends. They can be bought for as little as $10! These kids are getting addicted, and their parents and teachers are struggling to control it.
An aspiring nurse has been banned from every pub in Camden, NSW! A 20 year old’s big night ended up to be a big headache for her and her family. Find out more about this story and others on BUSTED.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week on BUSTED we are looking at the disorganised side of organised crime. From jacked body builders to huge tobacco cash crops. We are looking at the weird world of otherwise respected people, getting caught up in crime and biting off more they can chew.
A huge amount of illegal tobacco seized in Queensland. Covering over 10 acres the cops put a massive dent in the profits of criminals – removing $40 million worth of crops.
A chiropractor has admitted smuggling nearly $100 million of cocaine into Australia from South Africa inside wine bottle. What’s worse? He got his poor mum to collect the package for him!
A former bodybuilder and his “business partner’’ have been jailed for buying and selling multiple drugs to drug dealers. The police uncovered large amounts of MDMA, Testosterone, Cocaine and Cash, as well as firearms and silencers.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This episode of BUSTED focuses on the crazy ways criminals are trying to get drugs into Australia. There are weird ways organised criminals try to smuggle illegal products into Australia, Heath and Rohan discuss some recent news stories that show the drastic steps people will take to make money off people’s misery and the clever police tactics used to make sure the cops are always one step ahead of the crooks.
Victorian police seize over $80 million worth of meth in liquid form, concealed in an oil shipment from Mexico, raising concerns that the shipment might be linked to dangerous overseas cartels. The bottles of liquid meth were concealed amongst unsuspecting bottles of canola oil.
Two men have been caught trying to smuggle MDMA in…wait for it…cans of tomatoes. The massive international investigation was able to lead the cops to seize 850kg of the drug – enough to make 15,000,000 ecstasy tablets. Festival goers will have to find another way to indulge in their hedonistic habit which thankfully was caught at the border before killing any more victims.''
Cops are again cracking down on illegal tobacco. Two Victorians Men have been questioned in relation to a raid of a shop allegedly selling illegal tobacco. Find out how the ABF allegedly caught these guys out and more stories here.
And from the inconspicuous to the outright blatant. A couple of Muppets from Sydney thought it was a good idea to stamp their nicknames on blocks of cocaine! Abbas Hijazi is the alleged ringleader of this operation working out of Sydney and Wollongong, who police accuse is connected to the Bandidos bikie gang. Alongside him arrested was a plumber from Revesby Heights, Ibrahim Kansou and a ‘Gucci slide’ wearing alleged drug dealer named James Booth.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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On Busted Investigations, former AFP cop Rohan Pike gives you a behind the scenes look at the murky world of organised crime and smuggling operations across Australia. You’ve all seen the stories of drug dealers getting caught, bikie gangs engaging in turf wars, or overseas criminals smuggling huge quantities of illicit tobacco.
This episode will take you on a journey beyond the headlines to delve deep into how these criminals operate, how they get away with it, and what can be done to stop it.
Criminal gangs are getting rich from selling and smuggling illicit tobacco. Its not often known that illicit tobacco smuggling is incredibly lucrative, but as Rohan explains – it can even make criminals richer than smuggling and selling cocaine.
Nearly 20 per cent of all cigarettes smoked now in Australia are from illegal sources. This is the worst it has ever been.
Recent busts of large amounts of illicit tobacco accompanied with large amounts of cash are signs the problem is not going away.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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This episode of BUSTED, Heath and Rohan discuss the crimes that have very real impact on victims’ lives. Six-people in Sydney’s west have been accused of rorting more than $10 million from the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The scheme is designed to protect some of the most vulnerable Australians. All to fund their extravagant lifestyles. Find out how the cops figured out what these degenerates were up to and WATCH police seize their luxury cars.
Billions of dollars are leaving the economy into the pockets of organised crime syndicates overseas. With profitability rising, this latest research shows that criminals will be more and more likely to engage in importation of illegal products into Australia. Find out the staggering amount Australians spend on drugs every year! The numbers will shock you.
Police were called to a servo in Sydney after a man armed with a knife stole cash and cigarettes. The increasing trend of these types of robberies has shop owners concerned. The services station has been robbed 3 times in 3 weeks! Find out what the cops are doing to crack down.
A high-profile racehorse owner pleaded guilty after being BUSTED using baggage handlers to import illegal drugs into Australia. A small scale but highly profitable operation, find out how much money these guys made, and how the cops took them down!
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode of BUSTED, Heath and Rohan discuss the 2021 Federal Budget and what it means for local communities and law enforcement in Australia.
The Budget was delivered on Tuesday and made no mention of the problem of black-market trades, such as illicit alcohol, tobacco and drugs, and the criminal syndicates that are profiting from them.
BUSTED discuss the problem of black-market activity regularly here on BUSTED – and given the scale of the problem, and how criminals are exploiting weaknesses in Australia’s borders, it was disappointing to see the Government not even mention it.
Despite strict travel restrictions, smuggling has not dissipated. Heath and Rohan discuss the massive amounts of illegal tobacco seized, and there are no signs of this easing. With billions of dollars lost to the black market every year, the government needs to do something about recouping the lost money that could be invested in the community.
Even former celebrities are getting in on the smuggling bonanza. An ex-Home and Away star was found with large amounts of cash and drugs. Find out how the cops caught him!
A huge number of illegal drugs were seized in a state-wide drug bust! But it is the types of drugs cops found that has them worried. Watch why police in Queensland are concerned about this new trend.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
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BUSTED this week looks at the dark side of the suburbs. Heath and Rohan go behind the headlines of outrageous and disturbing stories all operating in quiet neighbourhoods around the country underneath peoples noses.
A retired suburban accountant gets jailed for trying to import tens of millions of dollars worth of meth! A story which reads out like a movie script, find out how a pilot purchased a plane in the US to try and smuggle drugs into Australia. Watch how the cops foiled his plans!
A dispute between two gangs involved in the Sydney drug trade, led to shootings on suburban streets. Now police believe a lover’s tiff was what sparked bullets flying.
A Chinese national has been arrested after trying to import a sickening item – find out what he tried to import and why Border Force are being more and more concerned about similar items.
Time stamps and stories:
00:01 – Intro
0:55 – Grandpa pensioner and suburban accountant’s $58m drug secret revealed
4:25 – Gang rivalry over woman may have sparked Sydney shootings
7:00 - Chinese national arrested in Toorak after allegedly importing child-like sex doll parts
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On Episode 3 of Busted Investigations, Rohan will give you a behind the scenes look at the murky world of organised crime and smuggling operations.
You have all seen the stories of drug dealers getting caught, bikie gangs engaging in turf wars, or overseas criminals smuggling huge quantities of illicit tobacco.
Rohan will take you on a journey beyond the headlines to delve deep into how these criminals operate, how they get away with it, and what can be done to stop it.
Back in 2007, a study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found 38 per cent of Australians had used illicit drugs – including misusing prescription drugs – in their lives. They also found 13.4 per cent of people had used drugs in the past twelve months.
Naturally, growing demand for drugs in Australia gives the criminal organisations behind drug manufacture and development reason to increase supply.
Sources:
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/austr...
https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/med...
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcoh...
Time stamps and stories:
00:00 – Intro
00:30 - Current State of the Problem
02:12 – History
03:22 – Drug Users Today
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
BUSTED this week takes you behind the stories on Smugglers, Scammers and Former Footy Players. A reptile keeper gets BUSTED after being caught trying to import snakes, lizards and turtles hidden in toy trucks and speakers!
A 24 year old woman has been caught up in a highly disturbing scam involving an OnlyFans account. Find out how your online profiles are at risk and avoid falling for the same traps.
Three men are jailed for importing a massive amount of illegal tobacco into Australia. Find out how they did it and how they got caught this week!
A former footy player has his life ruined after doing an illegal job involving meat mincers. The worst part is he would have only been paid a few hundred dollars for doing it.
And an IT contractor has allegedly scammed his former client and jeopardised their business through a data leak. Revenge – or something more sinister? Find out more this week on BUSTED.
Time stamps and stories:
00:01 – Intro
01:15 – Australia’s ‘Joe Exotic’ jailed for smuggling and killing reptiles
04:10 – Worrying OnlyFans scam: Someone hacked my photos and turned me into an adult star
06:55 – Nadim Kansaan, Ali Khalil, Mohamad Masri sentenced over tobacco smuggling
10:00 – Sam Gerrey-Burgess, Justin Murray jailed for MDMA importation role
11:58 – ‘Didn’t happen’: IT contractor denies wiping server, stealing private information
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Money laundering – we’ve seen it in the movies, we’ve read about it in the news, but do you actually know what it is?
In today’s episode, we’ll tell you.
Money laundering is more than a financial crime. It’s a tool used by criminal organisations to make other crimes possible.
It’s also often the final step in drugs, tobacco and people smuggling, or engaging in political or business corruption.
The term money laundering originated in the United States during prohibition in the 1920s and urban legend has it that ‘laundering’ money as a term comes directly from Al Capone himself – who used laundromat businesses to legitimise his illegally-begotten wealth.
But money laundering is not just done by high-profile criminals anymore, it can be done by anyone. It can even be done by the wives and partners of drug dealers, or even university students.
Today, you’ll hear about an everyday woman who laundered $1.6 million within just a month, another woman who laundered $200,000 for her drug-dealing husband, and a young man who kept dodgy money in an online cryptocurrency.
Through their different techniques, you’ll hear how they did it and how they got caught.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
BUSTED has some big, juicy, black market import stories for this week with Rohan and Heath taking you on what goes on behind the news. Mexican drug cartels are bombarding Australian borders with illegal drugs.
As the saying goes, a zebra can’t change it’s stripes and that seems to be the case for old alleged underworld figure Kevin Theobald. Theobald was arrested with several other old alleged gansters.
Continuing with the theme of black markets – AstraZeneca is warning about fake COVID vaccines coming in to Australia, and the ABF worried about the disturbing trend of illegal dog collars coming into Australia.
Time stamps and stories:
00:01 – Intro
00:56 – Mexican drug cartels on rise https://bit.ly/3wTMseg
04:00 – Kevin Victor Theobald arrested in Condell Park police raid https://bit.ly/3aaQCV7
06:26 – Black market vaccine fight as COVID rollout tempts criminals https://bit.ly/2OK7wT2
09:36 – Australian Border Force issues warning after spike in detection of dangerous ‘pronged’ dog collars
https://bit.ly/3siDdk9
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Sydney siders behaving badly! This week Rohan and Michael discuss the increase of dial-a-dealers getting caught, often using the lack of adequate employment as an excuse when being sentenced.
The BUSTED boys also discuss a wild brawl in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs involving the notorious Alameddine family.
They then look at a former Olympian and his brother’s elaborate plan to smuggle cocaine into Australia – only to try and claim it was tobacco if they got caught.
Finally, a doctor’s daughter and her girlfriend robbing a petrol station using an axe! Only hours after posting pictures of themselves online rock climbing!
Time stamps and stories:
00:01 – Intro
00:38 - Malik Mohammad: Edmonson Park law student convicted of cocaine dial a deal
https://bit.ly/3urLrYG
02:40 - Richard Le: Green Valley dial a dealer convicted for cocaine supply
https://bit.ly/3cVFLAl
04:10 - Richad Alameddine, Ay Huncho in wild Potts Point brawl
https://bit.ly/3fSQa1t
06:20 - Baggaley brothers deny ‘tobacco’ was coke smuggling cover-story
https://bit.ly/3uuJbjg
09:41 - Doctor's daughter and her lover pose for an innocent rock climbing picture just hours before police allege they went on a crime spree and robbed three petrol stations
https://bit.ly/2Os4mDj
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week Rohan and Heath take a look at crime syndicates in Australia. Not quite ‘The Syndicate’ from Mission Impossible – but some very sophisticated organised crime groups operating in the community. They will take a look at how criminal organisations (the syndicates) interact, how they work to hide their nefarious behaviour and ultimately how they get caught.
From Bondi Boomers in their 60s committing $6 million in fraud and hiding their ill-gotten gains, to how local pubs and clubs are targeted by criminal syndicates as a way to clean their ‘dirty’ money.
Rohan and Heath also look at another huge bust by the Illicit Tobacco Taskforce who disrupt the activity of two alleged organised crime syndicates seizing one tonne of tobacco. And police disrupting an alleged criminal syndicate caught with 2000 cannabis plants.
Finally Busted take a look how criminals are taking advantage of bitcoin to launder their money.
Time stamps and stories:
00:01 – Intro
01:00 – ‘Bondi boomer couple convicted of $6m fraud’ https://bit.ly/3czIBJS
03:47 – ‘ClubsNSW whistleblower reveals the alarming scale of money laundering in pokies rooms at local clubs and pubs’ http://ab.co/2NIDhvn
07:40 – ‘Illegal tobacco taskforce targets international and domestic tobacco smuggling rings’ http://bit.ly/3cI7jHR
11:10 – ‘Four charged over alleged criminal syndicate as $6m cannabis seized’ http://bit.ly/3rVUYq6
14: 00 – ‘Money launderers for hire: 6 charged over allegedly funnelling $5m through bitcoin’ http://bit.ly/3vyVkVS
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Biggest bust ever!Criminal gangs have long been a problem in Australia. We wouldn’t have as many seasons of Underbelly otherwise.Most gangs are well-organised and well-funded, with highly sophisticated money laundering operations in place to keep funding their activities.
The scale of their operations came to the fore recently, when a joint police task force uncovered 400 tonnes of illicit tobacco crops, planted out in the open for anyone to come across, worth $84 million. It is the largest raid of its kind in Australia’s history.
You can’t understate the arrogance of the criminals who set up this operation, but they’ve clearly been getting away with it for some time and that is definitely worrying.
The connection between the tobacco farm, organised criminal syndicates and more is something Heath and Rohan outline clearly in this episode .
Time stamps and stories:00:01 – Intro
01:08 – Nine people were stabbed at a party on Spencer Street in Melbourne’s CBD during the long weekend break, leaving one man in a critical condition.
http://ab.co/3eETo8h
04:25 – A man in Bulleen in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs has been assaulted in a terrifying home invasion, which left his front door hanging off its hinges.
http://bit.ly/2OzW2l4
05:50 – Flamboyant Instagram personality, Gold Coast businessman Kenneth Williams, aka ‘Candyman 2.0’ has been accused of dangerous driving.
http://bit.ly/2Q48gmh
07:48 – Mongols Bikies’ push for turf has moved from Melbourne’s northern suburbs into central Victoria, with six new gang members being initiated in the last month alone.
http://bit.ly/30PAm73
10:43 A joint ABF, NSW Police and Victoria Police taskforce has destroyed a whopping $84.3 million worth of tobacco crops, in one of the biggest busts seen to date in Australia.
http://bit.ly/3lkPNNP
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
All criminal enterprises present a worrying threat to Australians’ security. Lately, the threat seems to be coming from syndicates based in the Middle East – but the media haven’t been consistent in the way they cover this issue.
That’s why in today’s first episode of BUSTED Investigations, our criminal expert Rohan Pike, will be outlining why he believes these organisations pose a great risk to our communities right here in Australia.
This pilot is covering it all. From how crims are smuggling in things like drugs and tobacco, to funding large-scale criminal operations (because apparently there are goods even more profitable to smuggle and sell on the black market than the drug Ice!)
Articles Rohan covered:
2014 – ‘Melbourne police raids target Middle Eastern organised crime gangs’
http://ab.co/3l8BA6z
2015 – ‘Middle Eastern crime gangs main players in Australia’s illegal tobacco boom’
http://bit.ly/3rw825j
2016 – ‘A national security risk’: Australian Border Force warns illegal tobacco trade may be fuelling terrorism’
http://ab.co/2OHP0ul
2017 – ‘Sydney crime arrests: the inside story of corruption in Australian Border Force’
http://bit.ly/3coOCJ8
2017 – ‘Inside Melbourne’s flourishing illegal tobacco trade’
http://bit.ly/3rAkFwk
2019 – ‘Retailers tell government to stop rampant illicit tobacco sales’
http://bit.ly/3vbJNeU
2020 – ‘ABF aims sights at illegal tobacco trade, as smuggled cigarettes sold in Adelaide’
http://bit.ly/3l3mPBY
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We’ve been seeing some pretty bad behaviour from so-called celebrities for some time now. But what drives reality television, sporting or other ‘stars’ to the kind of criminal activity that’s so often reported on?
It’s clear some of these ‘stars’ struggle to adapt to life when the cameras are off and their ‘celebrity’ starts to fade. So many of them go off the rails. But it’s deeply concerning since many modern stars find their fame and following on social media. Especially when we see young people taking to social media to share their own criminal activity – as we will in today’s fist story.
Stay tuned and find out what Heath and Rohan had to say about this, and their opinion on reality TV in general.
On this week’s show:
Intro: 00:01
An elderly man in Sydney has been violently assaulted by a teenager for his cigarettes, while the teenager’s accomplices recorded and uploaded the entire incident: 01:23
Read the news report – http://bit.ly/3dSzgz3
A Perth man has been arrested for attempting to smuggle in 100,000 cigarettes, stuffed into a couch, from China: 04:46
Read the news report – https://bit.ly/3q1do6Y
Former rugby league star, Sam Burgess, has been charged with traffic offences and failing a random roadside drug text, in the Southern Highlands. The kicker – he was on his way to pick up his children: 09:08
Read the news report – https://bit.ly/3uBaKZc
Suzi Taylor, of ‘The Block’ fame, has had a warrant issued for her arrest – she is before the courts for 107 offences, including 80 breaches of her bail conditions: 11:29
Read the news report – http://bit.ly/3ksTrVF
MAFS Australia’s Daniel Webb charged with fraud over a multi-million dollar telemarketing scam, alongside 10 other offenders: 15:04
Read the news report – http://bit.ly/2Pe5NFn
Conclusion: 18:10
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Youth crime is a huge issue here in Australia. Especially because it isn’t just a law enforcement issue. And while that’s true for many other instances of criminal activity, helping young people steer clear of a life of crime is complicated. It can’t be tackled without cooperation between several groups of people – from those involved in the justice system, to youth support services and charities, parents, governments and schools.
In today’s episode, we’re covering a number of incidents around the country that have been recently reported, involving so-called ‘kid criminals.’ Heath and Rohan take a look at some of the phenomena that have affected why these kids act the way they do – from addictions, the impact of being ‘cool crims’ on social media, socio-economic factors, even touching on how the recent lockdowns and enforced time away from school may be affecting children, particularly disadvantaged children.
It’s important we help young people get the help they need before it’s too late. So if you do see any instance of crime, do report it to your local police station or Crime Stoppers. But for instances involving younger people and first-time offenders, the BUSTED experts suggest finding ways to help them get on the right path rather than just locking them up.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Today’s BUSTED episode has a little something for absolutely everybody:
- Instagram influencer, Mikayla Noakes, has pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal narcotics group – this after she was arrested last November.
- Brianna Costigan, daughter of former Queensland MP Jason Costigan, who’s had one wild year, has been allegedly involved in a break and enter of her neighbour’s property over Christmas – in which she made off with a Yoyo pram and water BBQ – this after being cleared of drugs charges, converting to Islam and starting up a legal luxury handbag selling business on Instagram.
- A bikie who got caught because he forgot Crown Casino would be covered in CCTV.
- More seriously, a phenomenal investigation and effort from a joint police task force. 81 kilos of methamphetamines, and a South African syndicate’s plot was foiled in Melbourne – and Rohan’s even given them an 8.5 BUSTED rating!
Watch the episode above for Heath and Rohan’s take, and catch any other tidbits you’re after through the articles below:
Mikayla Noakes: http://bit.ly/3rBGwmE
Brianna Costigan: http://bit.ly/36Vfn6m
Crown Casino Bikie: http://dailym.ai/3aSY334
Syndicate foiled by police in Melb: http://bit.ly/39ZQ7xC
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode of BUSTED, Heath and Rohan take a look at some of the consequences a number of recently apprehended criminals are facing. Fair warning, the first may make your stomach turn.
A body was found stuffed into a wheelie bin floating in a dam has been identified as a 'high level' convicted drug dealer and father-of-three, Dinh Lam Nguyen. He was reported missing two days after last being seen, and his remains were discovered dumped in a local Dam.
Check out the full coverage: http://dailym.ai/3czviLf
A recent arrest in the Netherlands, follows the issuing of an Australian warrant, for Tse Chi Lop, the leader of ‘The Company’– one of the largest drug cartels in Asia, worth around $70bn. Tse Chi Lop - a Chinese-born Canadian national - is said to be the head of ‘The Company’, which dominates a $70bn drug empire across Asia. This is a huge win and effort to get him off the streets.
Check out the full coverage: http://bbc.in/3oC4ZpK
Next, we’re covering an online date gone very wrong. A man who stole a knife from the Grindr hook up he has been staying with, then robbed a service station in Killarney Vale, looking for cash and cigarettes.
Check out the full coverage: http://bit.ly/3j33HTR
Next, we cover Omar and Khaled Hussein, two cousins who were jailed for four years and 10 months each, by a Perth District Court after trying to smuggle $8.5mn worth of illegal cigarettes into Fremantle Port three years ago. With 1 in 5 of all cigarettes smoked here being illegal, crack downs like this are essential.
Check out the full coverage: http://bit.ly/3pBqMPV
We’re also putting an end to the whole ‘a little party never killed nobody’ line. A 29 year old French male tourist, in Australia on a working holiday visa, was deported for his role in an illegal party, which attracted over 1,000 partygoers in Noosa just after NYE.
Check out the full coverage: https://ab.co/3ouRBny
And finally, one of the world’s most wanted drug barons, Asia’s ‘El Chapo’ will face authorities in Australia after one hell of a bust carried out by the AFP. It’s a huge arrest for Australian Police, and the scale is not to be understated.
Check out the full coverage: http://bit.ly/3cG7CVB
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to bust these bad guys!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What an absolute bummer!
This episode we discuss a man caught with drugs up his bum, a drug smuggler using wine bottles to smuggle MDMA, a big barbershop brawl and more illegal tobacco raids.
But to begin with, a man who has been around the criminal scene for a while was caught selling drugs out of an East Dubbo home. He was sentenced after a bag and balloon full of drugs fell out from between his rectum (ouch!)
Police say a blue metal tube was found up the bloke’s rectum, and inside was 3.8 grams of methamphetamine as well as a pink balloon which had 52 buprenorphine strips inside it. We hope he learns his lesson this time.
Next, we are onto the smuggler who used wine bottles to conceal liquid MDMA. NSW Police charged the bloke as part of ongoing investigations into the alleged import of $675,000-worth of MDMA concealed in wine bottles.
Normally the wine bottles are moving in the other direction, out of Australia, so that may have tipped the police off to this unusual consignment. But sadly, it is another sign that despite the pandemic, drug smuggling crooks and dangerous criminal syndicates have continued to smuggle drugs, illicit tobacco, and other illegal materials into Australia.
In our third story, we discuss a man who has been charged over a brawl that allegedly erupted because someone ‘cut’ in line to get their hair trimmed at a barbershop in Perth's north.
The footage is pretty confronting, and a lot of people seem to have ringside seat here, but it’s a serious problem for the younger bloke – he could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Lastly, we analyse the latest illegal tobacco bust, where illegal tobacco with the street value of $70,000 has been seized during police raids in three district towns, including the problem area of Shepparton.
Police allegedly seized 3500 packets of cigarettes - the majority with 20 cigarettes to a packet - and 28 kg of loose tobacco from a number of locations.
Whilst this isn’t the most sizeable quantity from Shepparton, it’s another sign the problem isn’t going away.
Thanks for taking a look at this episode.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Busted is back for our first episode of 2021!
Fingers in the till, cocaine trafficking, illicit tobacco linked to organised crime, and a bomb found at a house – that, and more this week on Busted.
A lady who worked at St George Bank has been charged with defrauding her employer of a whopping half-a-million bucks – with strong links to organised crime through her hubby.
Sarah Daizli, 29, was arrested inside a Sydney CBD venue on Wednesday, almost five years after she allegedly began 'masterminding' a 'sophisticated' fraud syndicate.
Unfortunately for her, she was chucked in the back of a police van wearing her skintight jumpsuit and designer slides.
Then we had a barbershop owner, too cool for school, who flaunted designer clothes, supercars and luxury holidays on social media being hit with cocaine trafficking charges.
Michael Anthony Langanis, 25, who operates three businesses across Brisbane under his Langanis Barber brand, was granted bail after being charged with a series of drug trafficking offences.
We then had a police Commander revealing the scale of the illicit tobacco problem and its links to organised crime – a huge problem that is causing harm in the community.
Then lastly, we had a property in Adelaide which was stormed by heavily armed police where they allegedly uncovered prohibited drugs, stashes of money and an explosive device.
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A chase reminiscent of the Fast and Furious! A 21-year old has been arrested after a wild police chase across Adelaide.
The man is accused of stealing a white Suzuki Swift and leading officers on a chase through the city.
He allegedly embarked on a lengthy crime spree today involving two carjacking’s, a petrol drive-off and another attempted carjacking.
Its confronting footage, with heavily armed police having to arrest the man on the run.
We have no idea what on earth he’s been doing but he shouted during his arrest when police pinned him to a police car before leading him away in handcuffs.
Whilst we do like a good car chase, it’s good to see this guy get busted.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this wild car chase.
Read the original story here: 9News Adelaide
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
All the gear and no idea! A muscled-up Louis Vuitton-wearing drug dealer from Sydney’s northern beaches has swapped his designer shoes for prison greens after being jailed for three years.
The NSW District court had been told the 27-year-old was involved in the supply of cocaine and MDMA out of an inconspicuous garage near Manly’s wharf.
Detectives found 1381g of the party drug MDMA in the man’s garage.
Despite some claims from his defence that he was suffering from anxiety, the NSW District court judge said that jail time was necessary for the gym junkie.
The bloke had over 1kg of MDMA in his garage and this guy clearly should’ve known better.
It’s good to see this guy get busted!
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this Instagram gym junkie.
Read the original story here: The Daily Telegraph
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This doesn’t sound like someone worth following! An Instagram influencer from Sydney’s east who stole the details of a photographer’s credit card has been found guilty of fraud.
Holly Boorman, who is known online as Holly Lee Lu, was mentioned in Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday and found guilty without a conviction of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
Detectives found 34 transactions made by Boorman on Mr Chapman’s card totaling more than $630 between June 2018 and April last year, according to the documents.
The woman pleaded guilty to her charge and last month Queanbeyan magistrate Roger Clisdell gave her a chance to pay the money before he sentenced her.
We hope that she isn’t influencing anyone for much longer!
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this dodgy influencer.
Read the original story here: The Daily Telegraph
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Third strike and you’re out! Adelaide Crows forward and AFL player Tyson Stengle has been stood down as the club investigates an another alleged off-field incident.
The Adelaide Crows were provided with an image of Stengle next to a plate of an unidentified illicit substance.
It’s the third time the small forward has found himself on the wrong side of the law this year.
The 22-year-old was fined more than $1600 in October after pleading guilty to drink driving and other offences.
He’s been involved in a number of incidences recently with the law, drink driving and being caught with illicit drugs.
Whilst it’s a sad story, he has clearly thrown a great sporting career opportunity.
But getting involved in drugs is always dangerous, especially when the media spotlight is on you.
Lets hope he can eventually straighten things out.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this AFL player.
Read the original story here: 7 News
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2020 Year in Review and what a year it has been! As we head into 2021, we’ve taken a look back at some of the biggest Busted moments from the year that has affected your community.
It’s clear that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, criminal gangs, scammers and crooks have not taken a rest – instead they have used the new circumstances to their advantage.
We’ve seen drug smugglers, including notable Instagram influencers, get caught trying to sell and smuggle illicit drugs in the community.
There has also been a heap of fraudsters and scammers trying to trick Aussies – whether they are operating fraudulent day care centres and ripping off the taxpayer, or scamming people with fake products.
And illicit tobacco has been a massive problem, with organised criminal gangs ramping up their efforts to smuggle in illicit tobacco during the pandemic.
The biggest story we covered was from A Current Affair where reporters joined police on a raid in Western Sydney to discover the alarming scale of the illicit tobacco trade.
But that’s it for the Busted 2020 series.
We hope you enjoyed our insights and analysis and we’re looking forward to covering the hot crime issues of 2021!
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
One does not simply drive into pubs! Albury’s oldest pub still standing has been left with a $200,000 damage bill after a hoon allegedly smashed into the front of the historic building just hours before the border was set to reopen.
The 24-year-old driver allegedly lost control of his grey Ford Futura while doing a burnout and crashed into three poles at the front of Sodens Hotel about 3.15am on Saturday.
Police say the man then fled in a taxi and left his car at the scene.
He’s since been charged with unlicensed driving, negligent driving not occasioning grievous bodily harm and not giving particulars to owner of damaged property.
With the pub likely needing a whole heap of repairs leading up to Christmas, we hope this guy faces a decent punishment for what he has done.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this damage to Albury’s oldest pub.
Read the original story here: News.com.au
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
These people certainly won’t be enjoying their Christmas dinner this year. Police have charged 137 people as part of a major investigation into the “Dial-a-Dealer” drug operation across Sydney in the lead up to Christmas.
The bust is the largest number of arrests in a single operation since this police taskforce was set up three years ago to target the supply of cocaine across metropolitan Sydney.
During the operation, officers seized more than 530g of cocaine, 1kg of cannabis, 19g of MDMA, 16g of ketamine, 21g of LSD, 2g of heroin, 2g of methylamphetamine (ice) and $112,745 cash.
It’s no secret that there is a drug problem in Sydney but these stats are alarming.
It’s concerning to see that with the easing of restrictions, police have found a significant increase in criminal enterprises utilising the ‘Dial-a-Dealer’ methodology to ferry cocaine and other prohibited substances across Sydney.
Who knows whether drug takers will continue to take the risk leading up to Christmas?
But hopefully these arrests send a message for those thinking of buying or selling illicit drugs.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this major drug operation across Sydney.
Read the original story here: 9 News
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
It could be a trip back home for this Chinese national! A man accused of importing childlike sex doll parts in the shape of children has been arrested in Hobart.
Officers visited a South Hobart property on Thursday morning, where they found another 23 parts and arrested the 28-year-old Chinese national.
He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and fines up to $555,000.
The chances are he could be deported back to his home country.
It’s sadly another story here on Busted about the arrest of a man who is involved in importing child-like sex dolls.
It is a disgusting product to import, and unfortunately there is a dark web where this material is available.
We are fortunate that the police have uncovered this sick and disturbing behaviour.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this Hobart man accused of importing childlike sex doll parts.
Read the original story here: ABC News
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Not exactly in keeping with the ‘spirit’ of Tasmania. A Victorian man who used ferry to traffic drugs jailed for at least five years, in fact it was the Spirit of Tasmania!
Simon Ratcliffe, 42, packed more than $125,000 in cash within two pillowcases concealed in the passenger door of a car ferried from Tasmania to Melbourne in April.
The man was arrested at his Altona Meadows home about three hours after picking up the vehicle and told police about the money stashed inside it.
Police that day found ziplock bags containing more than 30 grams of cocaine and 10 grams of methamphetamine during a search of the man’s house.
It is clear this guy is old enough to know better. The saddest part is that this bloke is a father of two and he’s 42 years old.
We’re not sure what tipped off police but we’re confident that authorities always look closely at this ferry to see what could be smuggled across the border to Tasmania.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this man who used ferry to traffic drugs.
Read the original story here: 7news
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A cocaine-fueled evening has landed a blonde Instagrammer and Gold Coast cop in hot water. A Gold Coast police officer and his model ex-fiancé are facing drugs charges after a casino party was bugged by police.
Zachary Maidment, a senior constable in the elite Rapid Action Patrol unit, and prominent model Tyana Hansen have faced the Southport Magistrates Court.
Maidment, 28, is charged with possessing cocaine and supplying MDMA at his birthday party at the Star Casino in Broadbeach in June of this year.
25-year-old Hansen, a bikini model, stripper and former lads magazine cover girl, is charged with possessing cocaine and MDMA.
It doesn’t matter if you’re hanging out with Pamela Anderson for a TV advert – once you’re heard and seen snorting cocaine, your time is up.
We’re sure police were disappointed to find out one of their own were involved in this dodgy behaviour.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this party couple facing drugs charges.
Read the original story here: 7News
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Ill-gotten gains from the taxpayer. That’s what this woman thought she could get away with by rorting the childcare system and living a life of luxury.
So much so that this wealthy Melbourne businesswoman has been charged over a childcare fraud worth up to $15m.
Australian Federal Police arrested Prime Family Day Care operator Ola Ouda, 42, over allegations she defrauded the commonwealth-funded Child Care Subsidy by making claims on children who had not actually attended her centres.
Worst of all, Prime Family Day Care is the nation’s biggest recipient of Federal Government family day care payments and Ms Ouda is accused of using the money to fund an extensive property portfolio in Melbourne and Dubai, and luxury overseas holidays.
You can see from the cars she drove to the clothes she wore, that her defrauding allowed her to live a life that she didn’t deserve or earn lawfully.
Whilst its sickening to see the amount she defrauded, it’s good news that she’s charged by the police.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this case of rorting the childcare system.
Read the original story here: The Herald Sun
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Now this is not the way to kick goals.
A former West Perth women’s WAFL player has avoided jail after being caught trying to drive $20,000 worth of cannabis from Perth to Geraldton.
Rikkisha Yeates was arrested during a traffic stop on Brand Highway near Dongara in March after police found nearly 2kg of the drug in a sports bag in the boot of her car.
The 27-year-old told police she had been asked by an associate to drive the drugs to Geraldton and would be compensated with fuel money and 37.85 grams of cannabis as payment.
Western Australia has a particular problem with illicit substances – and unfortunately this former WAFL player has been part of it.
We don’t know why she felt the need to drive this huge amount of illicit drugs across the state, but we hope she reforms her ways.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about the Rikkisha Desiree Yeates $20k marijuana bust.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3md8zWh
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
That’s a lot of plants to steal! A man has been charged after 45 stolen bonsai plants worth $30,000 were found in a Canley Vale Bonsai plant raid.
Police say they seized the valuable miniature plants from the backyard of a home at Canley Vale last Friday.
The man was arrested and charged with recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime and having stolen goods.
Not the most serious case we’ve covered on Busted but just goes to show what people decide are worth stealing based on the value of those items.
A 44-year-old man was arrested and charged with recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime and having stolen goods.
It is an unusual case, but we have seen peculiar items and animals for sale on the black market before.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this major Canley Vale Bonsai plant raid
Read the original story here: The Guardian
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A Gold Coast man, who was already wanted by Police, was arrested at gunpoint after ramming a bunch of cars in an attempt to escape from the Queensland Police.
He was first spotted in a white Commodore in Surfers Paradise just before midday.
He went onto a rampage ramming cars before police detected him in the car park of Pacific Fair, the Gold Coast’s biggest and most popular shopping centre.
The photos and this story are pretty confronting.
One Queensland Police Officer was forced to smash the windows of the Commodore so they could detain the man.
Police have clearly taken this issue very seriously because it's not often that you see police smashing windows to detain suspects at gun point.
Clearly, they were worried he was armed or would be a serious danger to others.
One officer even sustained an injury when he smashed the window of the Holden Commodore to get to this bloke – so the police do really put themselves in harms way to arrest the bad guys.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about the Dramatic scenes at a major Gold Coast shopping centre car park.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3qW0xVc
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Illegal drugs and toy guns that look scarily like the real think have been picked up in the Berri in South Australia near the borders with New South Wales and Victoria.
South Australian Police searched a home in Berri after receiving a tip off – and it was quite the haul!
They picked up almost two kilograms of cannabis, 60 LSD tablets, 20 grams of cocaine, two gel blasters – toy guns which are designed to look exactly like the real thing and fire gel pellets – and more than $5000 in cash.
South Australian Police have now arrested a 27-year-old local man and charged him with two counts of trafficking in a commercial quality of a controlled drug.
What makes this story particularly interesting is that its not the first-time gel blasters have been involved in arrests by South Australian Police.
Gel blasters are becoming a serious problem in Australia with more than 700 handed to authorities but that barely scratches the surface of the problem.
And with that much cash and the sheer quantity of drugs picked up by the Police, it certainly seems this guy was a dealer.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about the drugs and gel blasters seized in Berri police raid.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3mhJSYG
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The influencer, the rugby league coach and the cross-border drug syndicate.
A Gold Coast Instagram Influencers with thousands of followers has been accused of taking part in a major cross-border drug syndicate that also allegedly involved a former NRL star-come-Gold Coast Titans coach.
Mikayla Noakes, 20, fronted Tweed Heads Local Court on Monday where she pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in a criminal group and taking part in the supply of dangerous drugs.
She was one of seven people arrested in a police blitz on Saturday, following a lengthy investigation into the supply of MDMA and cocaine across the far north New South Wales coast and south-east Queensland.
Former NRL start and Gold Coast Titans coach Michael Gordon was also arrested by Police during the raids and was charged with two counts of supplying and possessing a prohibited drug.
This certainly isn’t the first time a supposed Instagram influencer was done for turning to illegal drugs to fund the flashy lifestyle they were trying to portray online.
That all came crashing down with the police investigation into her role.
Since this video was recorded, Noakes has been sent to live with her grandparents as part of her strict new bail requirements.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about Mikayla Noakes & Michael Gordon.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3qBZVUA
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Not the world’s most powerful car to ram-raid a supermarket – but thieves will be thieves!
Three crooks are still at large following a ram-raid at a Hamilton Woolworths in Brisbane.
A stolen Volkswagen Tiguan was used to reverse into the doors to the Woolies at the Hamilton Harbour complex on Kingsford Smith Drive.
Once the group gained access to the shop, they went straight to the cigarette drawers with a crowbar – and stole a few drawers of cigarettes.
The footage is pretty dramatic from the in-store camera – and this incident has all the hallmarks of an organised crime syndicate.
Criminal syndicates smash their way into supermarkets and retailers to flog cigarettes to sell on the black market.
Unfortunately for the store owners, they increasingly need to set up bollards and protective barriers to stop this type of raid happening.
It’s another reminder that organised criminals will stop at nothing to steal high value products, like cigarettes.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3mPQ0c3
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We’re not sure that this Instagram star will be able to influence her way out of this.
Event-planner-by-day Danielle Hogan, who until recently enjoyed the Bondi “high life”, is facing a slew of drug charges having been allegedly involved in a dial-a-dealer drug ring that delivers cocaine across Sydney.
While the 24-year-old’s Instagram persona promotes healthy living, exercise and white teeth, her secret job has been designated drug runner. Hogan is allegedly in so deep, the brief of evidence collated by police is reportedly 18,000 pages long!
Hogan was charged with five offences including participating in a criminal group, taking part in supplying drugs, found on drug premise and two counts of ongoing drug supply and will reappear in court again later this month. It’s another example of a social media influencer promoting a highly fictionalised lifestyle.
Wonder if the next court date will feature on her IG stories?
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3qAKKuP
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and
Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Episode 44: Classy couple in LV and Adidas couple accused of cooking meth’
These crooks definitely didn’t do their best to hide their wealth!
A Port Melbourne couple have been charged with numerous drug trafficking offences in what appears to be an elaborate drug syndicate.
$13 million worth of cash and drugs was found in their townhouse after major police raids following a year-long investigation.
The neighbours had said that a fair amount of strange activity had been going on since the couple moved in last December – and there were a range of expensive items and accessories that had been floating around.
As we’ve seen with a number of crooks lately, not being subtle can be nail in the coffin.
The woman charged was a yoga instructor in the nearby suburb of Berwick and enjoyed collecting Louis Vuitton handbags, so it must be a bit of a shock sitting in custody and facing potential jail time.
No handbags allowed in there and she certainly won’t be able to ‘stretch’ the law this time.
Be sure to check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this classy couple in LV and Adidas.
Read the original story here: Herald Sun
Episode 45: ‘Bridgewater man busted flying on a fake passport’
Did this bloke really think he could get away with flying on a fake passport?
A Tasmanian man has recently been caught out by a police raid which discovered fake documents, including a fake passport used to travel internationally.
A joint operation by the AFP, Tasmanian Police, DFAT and ABF carried out a search which seized the fraudulent documents. They were shocked to also find over 4,000 steroids tablets, amphetamines plus over 1,000 counterfeit luxury brand watches and jewellery.
We just don’t know what this bloke was up to and who he may be working with overseas with these sorts of fake documents and counterfeit products.
If you hear of someone selling fake luxury watches or other black market goods, remember to get in touch with your local police or Crime Stoppers.
Be sure to check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about this Bridgewater man busted flying on a fake passport.
Read the original story here: Hobart Mercury
Episode 46: Springvale revealed as hotspot for black market cigarettes
This is an explosive investigation by a local media outlet.
The Dandenong Leader, from South East Melbourne, have run a month-long investigation into illegal tobacco in their part of the world.
In their investigation the paper revealed Melbourne’s southeast as a hotspot for illegal tobacco, finding more than 10 Asian grocers, supermarkets and tobacconists in Springvale selling illegal tobacco.
The Leader says they found dozens of shops selling illegal tobacco, and there are probably dozens more shops they didn’t even pick up.
It’s good to finally see a news organisation really dig into the criminal side of this, as well as the impact it has on retailers.
We’ve long spoken about how illicit tobacco funds organized crime, but an anonymous tobacconist here told the Leader not selling illegal tobacco was harming their business because people were just going elsewhere.
Even Dr Sarah Wright, Director of Quit Victoria, said the enforcement environment in Victoria was lacking as well as the fact illegal tobacco can have all kinds of nasties, beyond what you usually find in legal tobacco, including mould and rat droppings.
Despite this people don’t even know what they’re getting into, or who they’re funding.
A woman here says she doesn’t feel guilty about buying illegal tobacco – we wonder if she would change her mind if she knew where they money eventually went to.
There is more to this story than just cheap smokes and it’s good to see them talk about it.
Be sure to check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about Springvale revealed as hotspot for black market cigarettes.
Read the original story here: Dandenong Leader
Episode 47: NSW Crime Commission marks $500m in proceeds of crime busts
A momentous occasion for the NSW Crime Commission!
They have just surpassed half a billion dollars in seized goods under proceeds of crime laws since 1990.
The Crime Commission makes all kinds of seizures from the usual cash, cars, and gold but on the more unusual end of the spectrum they even seized a V8 Supercar.
Criminals love to live the high life – posing as high rollers.
Subtlety is often not a virtue for these crooks, and it can quite often be the beginning of their end.
One of the guys here - a 25-year-old ‘computer nerd’ who was selling drugs online, and then used the proceeds to buy a mansion on the NSW South Coast – was done after he bought a Maserati sports car.
And it’s not just the assets you buy with the proceeds of your crime they can seize. One Dubbo Smash Repairer lost the family home and he lost his business. As he said, he worked for 22 years to earn what his family had – and his actions lost it all for them very quickly.
His family didn’t get to keep much beside what his father-in-law left when he died.
Be sure to check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about the NSW Crime Commissions $500m in proceeds of crime busts
Read the original story here: Daily Telegraph
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
At long last - a committee, which was established five years (and three governments!) ago to look at illegal tobacco in Australia, has finally produced its report.
There was even some fanfare in Parliament when the report was presented!
The Chair of the Committee Craig Kelly had illegal tobacco delivered into Parliament House to show just how serious and widespread this problem is.
It found there was a growing number of people who were responding to high-price cigarettes by buying illegal products.
The report exposes a lot of areas where the Federal Government can better tackle illicit tobacco to prevent criminal syndicates from exploiting the situation.
We all know there really needs to be more done to disincentivize criminals from selling illicit tobacco, which we know from the recent A Current Affair story that each and every cent made from illicit tobacco is funding organised crime.
There are a range of recommendations in the report which are sensible and would go a long way to tackling the illegal tobacco problem in Australia.
For example, the report recommends all federal law enforcement arrangements for tobacco be centralised under the Home Affairs Department, moving remaining powers out of the Health Department.
Hopefully the Government can now get a move on and implement a lot of these recommendations.
Read the original story here: Sydney Morning Herald
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Did you hear the one about the grannies involved organized crime gangs?
An anonymous tip has led South Australian Police to the homes of two women where they found a sizeable quantity of tobacco and homemade cigarettes.
In one of the homes, SA Police discovered 12kg of loose tobacco and 88 cartons (100 cigarettes per carton) of homemade cigarettes.
After searching a freezer in the second home, they allegedly discovered 3kg of tobacco and 77 cartons of cigarettes in a shed on the property.
Disappointingly, both women were only given fines.
This is another example of Australia’s problem with illicit tobacco.
We know that illicit tobacco has been a growing problem in Australia – and consumption of it is at an all-time high.
The trade is rife and the punishments are light. The latest statistics from KPMG show that one in every five cigarettes smoked is from an illegal source.
This is such a serious problem because every cent made from illicit tobacco goes on to fund organised crime. Police and law enforcement say this includes terrorism, human trafficking and child porn rings.
Every time illicit tobacco is sold, it’s leading to more profits for criminals.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more and hear the team’s view.
Read the original story here: Murray Valley Standard
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These guys are certainly not the sharpest tools in the shed!
Two men were arrested after a routine border check discovered $1m in cash inside their car, leading to raids on three hydroponic cannabis crops.
One of the hydroponic cannabis crops was found at a Mid North property on Sunday while another crop was found later in the day at a “grow house” in the Barossa Valley.
The men were subsequently arrested and charged with a range of offences, including money laundering and drug-related offences.
It’s another example of some pretty stupid behaviour from criminals – driving around with a million bucks in cash in a rural area is always going to be suspicious for the police.
Be sure to check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more from the team.
Read the original story here: The Advertiser
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Some gym junkies will have to miss out after this steroid-laden drug lab was raided in Adelaide.
A man has been arrested after police uncovered a sophisticated drug lab with more than 300,000 steroid tablets, 200 vials of liquid steroids and weapons.
Police classed the equipment as specialist commercial grade, which included a pill press, scales and labelling machine which were all seized.
A number of prohibited weapons were also found including a taser, 11 double edged knives, knuckle dusters and an improvised explosive device.
A 48-year-old man was subsequently arrested and charged with manufacturing prescription drugs, trafficking prescription drugs and numerous weapons offences.
Who knows which gym junkies were going to get ahold of these steroids but it’s good to see this stuff off the streets in Adelaide.
Be sure to check out this episode of BUSTED to find out what the team thinks.
Read the original story here: The Advertiser
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Check out this idiot who got police attention after falling asleep at the wheel!
A man has faced court after officers raided a home and allegedly found 1.5kg of cocaine, $43,860 cash, drug scales, Xanax, steroids, knuckle dusters and rifle ammunition.
The man was caught after the police suspected some weird behaviour. They found the man asleep while parked behind the wheel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
This prompted the police to arrest the man and then raid his home soon after where they discovered these illegal materials.
The man was charged with offences including supplying a large commercial quality of a drug, possessing a prohibited weapon and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
This guy wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed and this story shows why!
Be sure to check out the latest episode of BUSTED and find out more about the Sydney man in court after cops allegedly find cocaine in Waterloo home’
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/32H6MBT
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Did you know buying illicit tobacco helps to fund human trafficking and terrorism? A Current Affair Special Investigation into illicit tobacco in Australia has revealed how high-profile criminal syndicates are taking advantage of the black market to sell huge quantities of illicit tobacco, with the proceeds going to finance terrorist groups, human trafficking and child porn rings.
In a special investigation, ACA joined police on a raid in Western Sydney to discover the alarming scale of the illicit tobacco trade. On one raid alone, police discovered 13 million illicit cigarette sticks in shipping containers that had come from Serbia and China.
The ACA footage also shows just how easy it is for people to buy illicit tobacco products.
Other than financing organised crime and terrorism, the illicit tobacco trade means local retailers take a battering as well.
Be sure to check out the latest episode of BUSTED and find out more about the A Current Affair Special Investigation into illicit tobacco in Australia.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3ltbcDY
Check out this idiot who got police attention after falling asleep at the wheel!
A man has faced court after officers raided a home and allegedly found 1.5kg of cocaine, $43,860 cash, drug scales, Xanax, steroids, knuckle dusters and rifle ammunition.
The man was caught after the police suspected some weird behaviour. They found the man asleep while parked behind the wheel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
This prompted the police to arrest the man and then raid his home soon after where they discovered these illegal materials.
The man was charged with offences including supplying a large commercial quality of a drug, possessing a prohibited weapon and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
This guy wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed and this story shows why!
Be sure to check out the latest episode of BUSTED and find out more about the Sydney man in court after cops allegedly find cocaine in Waterloo home’
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/32H6MBT
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This is a desperate attempt to hide from a crime.
A woman accused of robbing a service station has been found by police hiding in the roof of a house in Yass.
The 26-year-old Central Coast woman had allegedly threatened an attendant at a Caltex service station with a knife and some sort of taser before stealing cash and cigarettes.
We’ve seen several incidents recently where service stations are the targets of a theft, and the criminals normally want cash and cigarettes.
We’ve also seen this a lot with bottle shops, which sadly puts the staff members at risk from crooks who can threaten violence.
The reason crooks want a lot of these items is because they are expensive, so once stolen they can be sold illegally.
If you hear and see any of these types of violent incidents, make sure to tell your local police or inform Crime Stoppers.
Read the original story: https://bit.ly/2IqjGNg
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A South Australian man was recently charged for pulling out a weapon that looked like a gun in a road rage incident.
It was a 'gel blaster' weapon - which is classified as a firearm for their alarming resemblance to real firearms. Having one of these pointed at you would still make you fear for your life, so that's probably fair!
Pulling one out in an incident of road rage is utterly irresponsible behaviour.
Watch for the details.
Read the original story here: The Australian
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Is 22 months long enough in gaol for stealing almost $3.6 million?
Well that’s what one Victorian woman got for her part in a large-scale operation which was supplying, distributing and selling imported and domestically manufactured illicit cigarettes and tobacco products.
Had this raid not gone ahead and this woman was not caught, the total duty evaded through the illegal tobacco would be worth almost $3.6 million.
This is a huge seizure and while it might be good to see this woman behind bars for a few years, the question remains - does the penalty fit the crime?
After all, what kind of sentence would you get for stealing $3.6 million from the bank?
It would be a whole lot longer than 22 months.
An operation this size suggests she wasn’t the only person involved in this crime. There is likely to be a wider criminal syndicate network involved.
Her actions were stealing directly from the taxpayer and putting that money in the hands of a sophisticated organised criminal group.
This is a great raid by Australian Border Force but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The illicit tobacco trade results in over $3bn in lost taxes and duties every year.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more!
Read the original article here: https://bit.ly/2HkVhIz
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How stupid do you have to be?
Police discovered 8kg of cocaine worth millions of dollars during a search on a ute at the Queensland border checkpoint at the Gold Coast.
A 26-year-old Sippy Downs man has been charged with three counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count of possession of utensils.
The man also had other drugs, including ecstasy and cannabis, revealing yet again that there are often multiple illicit drugs and dangerous materials involved in organised criminal activity.
It’s clear these guys must have been pretty desperate to get this cocaine across the border – given the risky and stupid decision to hide it in their car and try and get past police.
This isn’t the largest haul of illicit drugs but it is still a substantial amount of cocaine, which the police must have been suspicious of in the first place to do a full search of the car.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about what is so concerning about this story.
Read the original story: https://bit.ly/2IrKMEj
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This is one of Australia’s largest ever drug busts. And these kinds of busts are so important.
Drug crime is linked to funding more illegal activity, with proceeds often used in connection to everything from more drugs to guns.
In this case, a criminal syndicate was producing an industrial-scale cannabis crop in northern NSW.
Fourteen men have been charged after raids on the mid-north coast recently netted 13,353 cannabis plants at rural properties in Minimbah, Melinga and Moorwood.
Drug and Firearms Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson said the seizure was one of the most significant in Australian history.
In total, more than $60 million worth of cannabis was seized. 19 people were arrested.
The strike force has now dismantled this sophisticated operation across six rural properties.
This is a huge criminal operation – only matched by the huge police operation that busted this criminal activity.
It’s just another sign of how incredibly resourced organised criminal syndicates, particularly international ones, are becoming.
Police report six Vietnamese men were arrested in this operation, including some who were in Australia on visas.
Why were police heavily armed and entering the suburbs in big black armoured vans?
Well, turns out it was to arrest a bikie alleged to have a whole heap of illicit substances, illegal weapons and other unauthorised material.
A Comanchero was among seven people arrested as police cracked down on firearms.
During a search of the premises, officers allegedly seized an electronic storage device, mobile phones, prohibited knives, various prohibited drugs believed to be methylamphetamine, heroin, MDMA and steroids, as well as prescription drugs.
The man was charged with multiple offences, including three counts of possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit, possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm, and not keeping a firearm safely.
Whilst it looks like something out of American TV, it was just a regular, quiet suburb in Sydney.
If you hear, see or know of anything suspicious happening in your neighbourhood, be sure to tell the police or Crime Stoppers.
Read the original story: https://bit.ly/2Io1bcR
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You can find out all sorts of sh!t diving into the ACIC Wastewater Report!
The 2020 Wastewater Report, which samples sewage for traces of illicit drugs, shows record highs of methamphetamine and heroin use in regional areas throughout April and record highs in cities of cocaine and cannabis use in June, during the early stages of COVID.
The report showed alcohol decreased in both regions and cities – with the consumption rate hitting a record low in the nation’s capitals.
Sydney remains the cocaine capital, with the second highest levels on record noted in June this year and there was a dramatic increase in methamphetamine use in regional South Australia in April 2020, with levels exceeding Adelaide’s for the first time.
This is a very interesting report because the stats don’t lie - we’d probably get a different response if we asked the punters on the street about illicit drugs.
Disappointingly, despite border closures and lockdowns, criminal supply chains have adapted, and illegal drugs were still available.
One interesting trend is each city has a different drug problem and the regions have different drug preferences to the urban areas in some states.
There truly is something in the BUSTED water supply this week with two of our stories about water but be sure to check out this episode to find out more.
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There certainly seems there is something in the water with this one!
A 27-year-old Malaysian national has been remanded in custody overnight, charged over the alleged importation of six kilograms of methamphetamines into Melbourne.
The man had been attempting to smuggle in these illegal drugs in water filter cartridges.
Following an x-ray of the goods, Australian Border Force officers identified several anomalies, which after examination were found to contain approximately six kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in water filter cartridges.
As far as attempts go, it’s not a bad one – he used an interesting concealment method and shipped the drugs into Australia through Canada, which isn’t usually a source country for illegal drugs – but the fact remains that this crook is still a bit stupid.
Our law enforcement agencies, like Border Force and the Federal Police, have sophisticated technology to stop this stuff getting through.
AFP Commander Hunter absolutely nails it when he says drug smugglers and peddlers, like this man, “prey on our community for personal gain, causing drug–related crime along with the harmful health and social costs that inevitably follow.”
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about what is so concerning about this story.
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Childcare centre don't tend to be at the centre of a sophisticated criminal operation.
In this case though, that’s exactly where they happened to be.
Several law enforcement agencies worked together to execute 34 search warrants at 18 properties and vehicles across Sydney in a fraud investigation.
Police received information that a criminal syndicate, allegedly directed by a 46-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, was operating a sophisticated scam and collected up to $500,000 in government payments in the past eight months, including $138,000 from the COVID-19 stimulus package that was developed to support the childcare sector.
Police arrested the two ringleaders and 11 other people in relation to an alleged criminal syndicate operating a large-scale family daycare fraud in Sydney’s south-west.
It is always so disappointing to see these crooks trying to make misbegotten gains from taxpayers’ money.
But this type of scam, where we see criminal syndicates ripping off taxpayers through childcare centres or through the NDIS to make a quick buck, is all too common.
The scale of this operation reveals that Police have likely known about this for some time and have worked together with other agencies to make these arrests.
Be sure to check out the latest episode of BUSTED to find out more about this day care fraud syndicate.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/381fC0P
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Australian Border Force (ABF) investigators recently arrested a 43-year-old man in south-west Sydney after parts of 11 childlike sex dolls were detected in air cargo shipments.
ABF and NSW police executed search warrants and seized an electronic device allegedly containing child abuse images, and a further childlike sex doll.
A number of additional electronic devices were seized pending full forensic examination.
Importing childlike sex dolls is an offence under the Customs Act. The maximum penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or fines of up to $525,000. Under the Criminal Code the possession of a childlike sex doll attracts a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.
You tend not to see many stories of this kind in the media but sadly this is an ongoing issue, with Border Force having identified this abhorrent trade as a global problem.
This behaviour is absolutely disgusting and has no place in Australian society.
It’s a crime which could be linked to very serious cases of child sex abuse and manipulation.
Child sex dolls are rightly illegal here and in many other parts of the world – as they should be.
This is truly a horrendous case, and the collaboration between ABF and NSW Police on this case has helped to keep children in our community safe.
Be sure to watch this episode of BUSTED to find out more.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/320sS22
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“The zenith of stupidity.”
“These guys didn’t really think this one through.”
“That was never going to end well.”
That’s how the BUSTED team described the crooks in this episode.
Two Hobart brothers were recently sentenced for robbing a drug dealer of $2,000 and a “quantity of ice.”
But that’s not the kicker…
The two brothers had run out of ice and cash at the time of the incident so had decided to rob their own dealer.
Being their dealer, they were all known to each other, so the dealer dobbed them in to the police!
It just shows how stupid these guys are though. Robbing from your own dealer was their own undoing.
And this report would surely have been one of the Police’s more unusual ones.
With a double-barreled shotgun present and discharged, the judge said it was lucky that no one was shot – and we couldn’t agree more.
This truly is one of the more bizarre and unusual stories we’ve covered here on BUSTED.
But it goes helps make the point around how nasty and dangerous drug dealing is to be involved in.
Between them, they were sentenced to less than four years’ gaol.
Be sure to check out the latest episode of BUSTED to find out more.
Read the original story here: https://ab.co/3ofwir8
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In an earlier episode of BUSTED we looked at a bikie who flew into Queensland while infected COVID-19, after he had been in prison for murdering an associate.
In that episode, the BUSTED guys predicted that some of his associates may catch up with him.
That prediction has come true.
Shane Bowden, who was a member of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang, was murdered execution style in the driveway of a Gold Coast unit.
Nine shots were fired into his BMW hitting him in the head and chest when he returned home just after midnight.
This is just another example from the Gold Coast which is boosting its reputation as a serious crime hub.
Drugs and bikies just seem to be attracted to the glitter strip and the Gold Coast.
And this comes despite the fact Schoolies has been cancelled on the Gold Coast this year, meaning the illicit drug trade is not fuelling crime to the same extent as it usually does.
Nonetheless, this is a serious issue for people who live on the Gold Coast who are raising families and just want to enjoy their hometown’s beaches and idyllic lifestyle.
It’s always deeply concerning when someone is murdered by criminals on our streets, so no BUSTED rating for this one but be sure to check out this episode to find out more.
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/35ANdMe
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It’s always a good idea to pack a spare pair of undies – just not like this. A Malaysian air hostess smuggle heroin in underwear into Australia
An ‘arrogant’ businessman who has a wife and two kids, was one of seven involved in a criminal syndicate trying to smuggle heroin into Australia.
The Malaysian man sprung delivering heroin at Melbourne's Immigration Museum on behalf of an international syndicate has been jailed.
At the time he had tried to deliver 784.2g of pure heroin, with a street value of more than $465,000, as instructed to the museum for collection.
Thankfully, Border Force prevented it from circulating into the community.
But this is just an example of the length that criminals will go to, using international connections, to make a huge profit from selling illicit products in Australia.
Unfortunately, these elaborate schemes are a common occurrence in Australia, with smugglers using elaborate attempts to bring illegal products into the country – including illicit drugs.
The syndicate had been using Malaysian cabin crew as drug mules and the hostess caught with heroin hidden in her underpants by Border Force is what helped police nab the businessman.
Have a look at the latest BUSTED video to find out more about the Malaysian air hostess smuggle heroin in underwear into Australia.
Read the original article: http://dailym.ai/354Be9z
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Fresh data has revealed NSW’s illegal drug hotspots showing the Suburbs with the most drug dealers in NSW, with a few surprises and a few expected results. Perhaps unsurprisingly, inner Sydney topped off the list, but I raised an eyebrow at a few others in the top ten – Newcastle at number three, the regional mid-west at number four and Queanbeyan and number seven.
Cocaine busts were rife across the Eastern Suburbs and ecstasy dealers sell the most in the City of Sydney.
The Central Coast was the number one spot for cannabis dealers.
Newcastle saw the most narcotics busts.
Mudgee came in number one for drug deals involving amphetamines
These lists really just show that the New South Wales police have a hell of a job on their hands in tackling drug dealing and trafficking, no matter where they are stationed across the state.
Drug trafficking and consumption really does seem to be occurring in metro and regional areas and the relative affluence of a suburb doesn’t seem to make a difference – you’ve got it happening from the Waverley to the Entrance to Goulburn to Coonabarabran.
These are serious quantities of drugs moving through our borders and onto our streets.
But it’s good to know the NSW authorities have got a close eye on this sort of activity – they’ve certainly been busy keeping this stuff of our streets.
Be sure to watch the latest episode of BUSTED to find out more.
Read the original article here: https://bit.ly/343Tel7
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This one starts normally enough; with a Mum of two living in a quiet beachside suburb in Hobart. Where it turns criminal is the fact that she was involved in a highly sophisticated international Melbourne ice trafficking syndicate.
She was allegedly involved in a large-scale Chinese-Malaysian drug trafficking syndicate that used vulnerable people to “housesit” their drug labs.
It’s pretty clear that this wasn’t some backyard operation – this was a highly organised syndicate. They had fronts to legitimise their income, including chicken farms and labour organisations to wash their profits through.
It looks like it’s been in operation since at least 2018, trafficking the drug ice, and this woman, a Chinese National, and her husband appear to be the ringleaders – but she is out on bail as she has a newborn child who obviously needs care.
She and her husband were among 15 in the ice trafficking syndicate arrested.
These syndicates seem to be more and more common and it’s worrying to see something this sophisticated anywhere in the country, let alone in Tasmania.
Ice is a huge problem in Australia, especially in regional areas – these people are nothing more than merchants of misery and suffering.
But despite the seriousness of the crime, the Victorian Supreme Court let the woman out on bail after it was denied by a Magistrate.
Check out the latest episode of BUSTED to find out more.
Read the original article here: https://bit.ly/3dqTa21
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Keep an eye out for drugs hidden inside sex toys!
Australian Border Force and the AFP picked up $38 million worth of meth and cocaine concealed inside an interesting choice of products. Sex toys.
In what is clearly an international syndicate, x-rays revealed 40 kilograms of meth and 18 kilograms of cocaine stashed in 21 boxes of sex toys sent to Melbourne from the UK via Singapore. The meth bust had an estimated street value of $30 million and the cocaine more than $8 million.
This is a huge bust and it’s a great job by Australian law enforcement agencies.
If these organised criminal syndicates thought the adult nature of their concealments would make our law enforcement officers look the other way, they thought wrong! In fact, Border Force officials simply pointed out that they are acutely aware of the “creative lengths” crimes are going to smuggle illegal drugs into the country.
AFP Acting Commander Investigations Jayne Crossling said even the COVID-19 pandemic was not deterring drug dealers from trying to import illicit substances.
It is really worrying that criminals are continuing to break the law despite everyone suffering under a pandemic.
Check out this episode of BUSTED Drugs hidden inside sex toys to find out more!
Read the original article here: https://bit.ly/2GNPECR
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Looks like the ‘luck of the Irish’ could be finally running out. Irish scammers arrested.
Gangs of Irish conmen, in Australia on visitor visas, have been targeting elderly and vulnerable Sydneysiders through roofing scams. They’ve cheated people out of as much as $600,000.
But they weren’t just ripping people off for phoney roofing jobs; they also stole almost $11,000 in life savings stored in a tin from one elderly couple.
These guys were approaching older Sydneysiders, offering to trim trees or work on roofs. Their scam involved trying to convince the victims their roofs need repairing. They over charge for this ‘service’ and to make matters worse steal money from the house.
These conmen have been pocketing so much money there is evidence they have been sending it home to Ireland, while others have been splashing out on “luxury items” and “lavish spending” in Sydney.
Criminals try and sell fake or counterfeit products online or through the mail, but this is an old-fashioned approach requiring face-to-face contact.
These guys don’t seem to have any shame.
This is absolutely shocking. Taking older people’s life savings is abhorrent and reprehensible.
It’s great to see Australian Police catching these guys and hopefully Irish Police are trying to get those who fled back to Ireland.
Check out this episode of BUSTED to find out more about the Irish scammers arrested!
Read the original article here: https://bit.ly/2GOb4jd
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This week on BUSTED we talk about the surge in crime in Victoria, what’s driving this and discuss why Victoria seems to be the nation’s crime ‘hot spot’.
The latest Victorian crime stats revealed that Victoria recorded its largest yearly spike in crime rates. This is despite a curfew being in place for public health reasons prohibiting people from leaving their homes between 8pm – 5am.
The unenviable statistics show that criminal incidents have increased by 5.6 percent from over 21,000 to over 400,000 incidents – the highest since records commenced. The significant increase in crime was off the back of spikes in drug possession offences and car thefts, suggesting that more needs to be done to curb crime in Victoria.
Victoria’s Deputy Police Commissioner even expressed his dismay at this significant increase, especially considering much of metropolitan Melbourne had been in a forced lockdown for most of the year. What this shows is that even when you might think crime rates should be falling, criminals have continued to steal from innocent people, sell illegal material and participate in illegal activities through COVID-19 lockdowns.
Of significant concern is the increase in gang related activity – with new Operation Alliance launched aimed at preventing, disrupting and dismantling gangs.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3dgDApG
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This week on BUSTED we talk about a couple of crooks from Adelaide who crashed a stolen vehicle into residential premises in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.
The first incident happened in the earlier hours of the morning and the man and woman were captured on foot by police dog ‘Stoic’ after fleeing the scene. The case was taken to court and the man was charged with the illegal use of a motor vehicle and driving while disqualified. His partner in crime was charged with the illegal use of a motor vehicle.
In a separate incident, another Adelaide man was spotted driving erratically and police were required to use road spikes to slow the vehicle and officer, with the support of police dog ‘Ben’ arrested the man. He was charged with a string of offences including driving while disqualified, driving to escape police, failing to stop at the scene of a crash, and driving under the influence.
Read the original story here: https://ab.co/3lpb08j
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This week on Busted we discuss a drug cook behind one of the biggest MDMA labs in New South Wales history. This Drug cook arrested AGAIN
The man had been on bail for three months before he was arrested for more drug offences and links to drug manufacturing including a large drug lab and 4.5 kilograms of MDMA in Sydney’s southwest.
NSW Drug and Firearm Squad officers uncovered the drug cooking operation inside a factory at Moorebank after arresting the man during a vehicle stop on Wednesday morning. More than 200 items, including chemical precursors, glassware and solvents were seized.
Earlier this year the man pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges, including drug manufacture and precursor possession, and is due to face the NSW Supreme Court for sentencing in November.
But with this subsequent arrest, he has been denied bail.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3llSHRk
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In this episode of BUSTED we look at a big operation even the US Department of Homeland Security got involved with.
During the raid, police were even forced to establish a 50-metre exclusion zone. NSW Police, Border Force and US Homeland Security raided a house in Bathurst in regional New South Wales in a global operation looking into the alleged importation of illegal gun parts.
Australia, proudly, has very few guns but a 36-year-old man from South Bathurst was trying to change that by importing illegal parts for firearms. The weapons parts – barrels, trigger mechanisms and the like – were smuggled into the country by mail through air cargo and the international mail stream.
Thankfully police got to him but he’d managed to import the parts needed to actually construct a weapon. Beyond that, the bloke was also importing drug manufacturing equipment. In fact, it was his role in this drug operation which led police to establish the 50m exclusion zone when they found a “suspicious substance” which was found to be a “drug-related chemical”.
With the ability to import parts required to assemble a gun and things linked to drug supply, it will be interesting to see if there are any links to other organised crime groups.
Check out the latest BUSTED episode to hear more about this man’s very bad day and to see what BUSTED rating this one was given.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3cVpUAg
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Here, Rohan and Heath unpack the Whopping police raids in Shepparton.
A raid on a tobacco growing operation, which would have been worth about $20 million if the organised crime syndicate behind the operation had not been caught. Eight warrants were executed at a bunch of residential and rural addresses in Shepparton and Mooroopna by local police, Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police saw three men arrested, who we now expect will be charged.
The scale of this operation was deeply concerning and if this illegal tobacco had been sold, it clearly would have undercut legitimate businesses and retailers. When you throw in the fact that police also found cash and stolen number plates at the site and the guys responsible were hit with a string of other offences, including firearms and Commonwealth offences, it’s pretty clear that this wasn’t just a backyard operation between a few mates. This was clearly a sophisticated and organised criminal organisation which would’ve seen taxpayers and legitimate businesses alike ripped off.
Shepparton has been an illegal tobacco hotspot for some time, and this is just the latest in illegal tobacco raids. Just in September, police have raided 30,000 packs of illegal cigarettes worth more than $600,000. Check out the latest episode of BUSTED to find out more and see what rating this raid was given.
Read the original story here: https://ab.co/34nZx1V
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Australian Border Force officials seized almost six kilos of meth destined for Queensland and Western Australia.
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A Hong Kong-based international crime syndicate has been brought down by the Federal Police in Beverly Hills in South Sydney.
This crime ring was using a really sophisticated method to smuggle methamphetamines into Australia, highlighting how tough it is for law enforcement to detect these kinds of operations.
Be sure to watch the latest episode of BUSTED to see how they were concealing their drugs and how this crime sydnicate's Australian operation came crashing down.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/36c5D7U
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People just aren’t using cash anymore, thanks to COVID and tap and pay, so shops just don’t have much on their premises anymore.
Criminals have turned to targeting another product instead. Recently a shop on the Gold Coast was the victim of an armed robbery in broad daylight with a replica gun.
Check out the latest BUSTED video so see what has become criminals’ target of choice.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/36eMouv
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Four youths in Brisbane, already known to Queensland Police, were arrested for hijacking cars from vulnerable young women all over the city.
Check out the latest episode of BUSTED to hear more about what these none too bright kids got up to and what BUSTED rating they got.
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/36cQZxh
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You’ve heard “slap on the wrist” but have you ever heard “slapped with a wet tram ticket” when someone gets off lightly?
In this episode of BUSTED we look at a man who was caught selling a smorgasbord of illegal party drugs out of his parents’ home.
Watch the latest episode to see what his punishment was to earn that description!
Read the original story here: https://bit.ly/3hYD5Bf
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Melbourne's small businesses have been doing it tough during two lockdowns. But it is also a kick in the guts when a small handful of smaller shops do the wrong thing.
Some shops which should be closed under the restrictions have printed paper signs to put in their windows, pretending to be a 'milk bar' or 'convenience store' when they're nothing of the sort.
In fact, many of these stores were breaking the law even before their attempts to dodge COVID restrictions.
Read the original story here: Herald Sun
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The latest in a long line of silly incidents around COVID-19 state border closures.
Despite being disqualified from driving, a man decided to try and smuggle a woman through a checkpoint along the NSW-Victoria border.
Suffice to say, he was stopped and when Police realised he wasn't allowed to drive, they searched his car, and found the woman in the boot who didn't have permission to cross the border.
Thankfully Police have the resources they need to keep up these checks and this pair wasn't trying to smuggle drugs or anything more serious around the country.
Watch the video to find out more.
Read the original story here: News.com.au
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Counterfeit products have come a long way – especially in the beauty industry. Just recently, Priceline was in trouble after finding fake skincare products across its Sydney stores.
While it seems like a harmless crime, when criminals can infiltrate chemist and pharmacy supply chains, it’s a huge problem. It might be cosmetics today – which themselves might involve animal testing and harmful products – but could also be a lead-in to fake medicines infiltrating our pharmaceutical supply chain.
Read the original story here: News.com.au
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Under Melbourne’s lockdown and state of emergency restrictions, drug dealers have also had to keep off the streets – and haven’t been able to sell their product normally.
Anyone outside their house is far more likely to be stopped by Police, which is the opposite of what drug dealers want.
Instead they’ve turned to social media and ride share platforms to sell and distribute drugs.
Watch to find out more about how criminals continue to adapt to lockdowns.
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Herald Sun
There is perhaps no easier way to attract Police attention than crashing into a Police car. Unless you crash into two...
Simon Tu did just that.
And the van he was driving was carrying 260kg of ice.
That's worth about $130 million on the street.
With this quantity of drugs involved it's likely he wasn't acting alone.
Watch the video below to find out more.
Read the original story here:
The Australian
The Federal Police saved these piglets’ bacon!
While animal welfare is critically important, this time by reporting pig thefts from a Canberra kindergarten, one Good Samaritan actually helped get an international criminal arrested.
Stories like this remind us about how important it is for members of the public to report all crimes – even seemingly trivial ones – to the Police.
Watch to find out what else the criminal has been charged with.
Read the original story here: ABC News
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First it was illegal hairdressers, and now it’s illegal brothels. Criminals are finding ways to keep their operations going even through Victoria’s tough restrictions.
But there could be more to this story than first appears. Illegal brothels like this one could be hiding far more sinister criminal operations beneath the surface.
At a time when social distancing is important, you’d think people would have better sense than to visit brothels…much less illegal ones.
Watch to find out more.
Read the original story here: 9 News
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
With our highest BUSTED rating yet, we look at a very worrying case in the Adelaide Hills.
Police arrested a man for possession of illegal high-powered and automatic firearms, including one which was linked to the Australian Defence Force.
The property they searched is believed to have ties to a “commercial clandestine” meth lab, with Police also finding narcotics alongside the firearms.
Watch the video to hear more about this arrest and the ‘bracket creep’ in firearm ownership.
Read the original story here: ABC News
Did you hear the one about the charity worker trying to rip off Australia Post?
In this episode of BUSTED we look at a charity worker who tried to smuggle in $2 million worth of Express Post envelopes from China.
These high-quality knock-offs weren’t convincing enough to fool the AFP who seem to have knocked over the entire syndicate.
Check out our latest video to hear more.
Read the original story here: Daily Telegraph
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!
Our first COVID-related BUSTED episode.
Mongols bikie Shane Bowden entered Queensland while he knew he had COVID-19.
He lied on his declaration and to Police at the airport. In the process 83 other passengers were forced to quarantine.
It’s a fascinating episode but our lowest BUSTED rating yet – be sure to watch and find out why.
Read the original story here: The Australian
Today we have a look at some remarkable – but concerning – footage of the latest arrest of career criminal Peter Foster.
But there isn’t something which doesn’t quite add up to our Busted team about this story.
Check it out to see why there are still question marks over the crime and the arrest.
Read the original story here: Sydney Morning Herald
In Episode 3 we go through Melbourne’s ‘hipster proof fence’ that is Bell Street to look at a recent molasses tobacco bust.
A man who ran a shisha cafe tried to smuggle three tonnes of the stuff into Australia, worth $2.75 million.
Molasses tobacco should be worth more than silver thanks to tax but you can still buy a kilo for a fraction of what you would expect to pay.
This is ripping taxpayers off by billions of dollars in tax revenue every year.
We look at why this is happening.
Read the full story here: HospitalityDirectory.com.au
Diamond watches screaming “criminal,” luxury cars, boats, designer bags, houses and literally entire farms. In Episode 2 we talk about how the AFP made more than $250 million in “bling seizures” from organised crime gangs last year. This is money you’d hope could fund additional police work but not all is what it seems with what becomes of these goods after they’re seized.
But comments from the new AFP Commissioner provides some hope that could change soon.
Read the original story here: The Daily Telegraph
The first episode of BUSTED is here! We’re here to dissect the crime news of the week. We’ll be looking at how crooks are trying to get their illegal and dangerous products into the country, even with all the lockdowns.
First cab off the rank is a story about a multi-national organised crime consortium trying to smuggle almost two tonnes of cocaine.
Read the original story here: Sydney Morning Herald
Subscribe & follow BUSTED: bustedau.com.au
BUSTED cuts through the fluff of the mainstream news by bringing you everything you need to know about crime in your community, whether it’s criminal thugs being caught smuggling in cheap, fake products or dodgy dealers getting stung selling drugs to fund their lavish lifestyles. BUSTED’s weekly commentary gives you the best access to experts, Rohan Pike and Heath Michael, as they explain to you the tricks of the criminal trade and the latest methods police are using to get these bad guys BUSTED!