Bikies linked to airport
smugglingBY Nigel Hunt
September 17, 2006 12:00am
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A SECRET Australian Crime Commission operation has
identified several employees at Adelaide Airport with close links to
bikie gangs.
And other workers with serious criminal records have also been
identified in a separate security sweep by ASIO.
An unknown number of workers have been refused security clearances
to work in secure areas at the airport with access to baggage or
aircraft.
Sources familiar with the ACC operation said those found to have
links to bikie gangs have been quizzed to determine their precise
relationship and involvement with gang members.
It is understood there have been no charges yet laid as a result of
the on-going ACC operation, which is primarily an
intelligence-gathering exercise.
Information gained will be used in ongoing investigations concerning
bikies and other organised crime groups.
Both the ACC and SA police fear the crime groups may use airport
employees to assist their illegal activities, particularly importing
chemicals for manufacturing amphetamines.
Such importations have increased in SA and other states as new
measures restricting the sale of precursor chemicals have been
introduced.
The ACC has been using its powerful coercive hearings as part of the
operation, with those subpoenaed to attend hearings at its Currie St
city headquarters compelled to answer questions.
ACC chief executive officer Alastair Milroy, based in Sydney, would
not comment when asked by the Sunday Mail how many airport employees
had been found to have links to bikie gangs or organised crime
groups, or if any offences had been detected.
The special intelligence operation was authorised by the ACC board -
which comprises all Australian police commissioners - after
considering the findings of an ongoing investigation initiated in
July last year.
The special intelligence operation - called Crime in the Transport
Sector - is examining the "nature and extent of organised criminal
activity" at airports throughout Australia. Mr Milroy said it was
also examining ports, Customs and export premises and related road
and rail transportation operations. It is understood that in SA the
operation has so far only examined airport employees. Scrutiny of
the road transport sector was expected to uncover closer links with
bikie gangs, building on such intelligence already gathered by SA
police.
"The ACC's CiTS determination will develop intelligence on the
nature of serious and organised crime in the air, land and sea
transport sectors to better guide investigative and policy action .
. . ," Mr Milroy said.
"Given the scale of the sectors involved and the variety of criminal
activities able to be perpetuated through, or within these sectors,
this represents a significant body of work".
Mr Milroy said intelligence findings indicated that "a focused
effort to collect intelligence on the airports and maritime sectors
is important".
"The ACC's intelligence collection focus is on the vulnerabilities
that are being exploited by serious and organised crime groups," he
said.
The ACC was disseminating "all material relevant to Adelaide
Airport" to the relevant law-enforcement agencies.
Adelaide Airport managing director Phil Baker declined to comment,
saying only: "I am aware of some activities involving the airport,
but I do not intend to comment on them."
As part of the ASIO audit of Adelaide Airport employees, some
working "air side" have been refused security passes. But others
have been granted their Aviation Security Identification Card -
despite having criminal convictions for offences involving drugs and
theft.
A spokeswoman for federal Transport Minister Warren Truss said
53,000 airport workers across the nation had been assessed under the
security sweep since March, when tougher ASIC criteria was
introduced.
Of those, 119 had been disqualified from holding an ASIC and 224
were being monitored after a "pattern of criminality" was detected.
Those disqualified had two or more convictions for offences
including larceny, assault and break and enter, or drug production,
possession or importation, with one of the offences occurring within
12 months of the check.
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