Viet trafficking syndicate: Man charged with allegedly possessing illicit drugs and $130,000 in dirty cash
A Melbourne man with alleged links to a Vietnamese illicit drug and tobacco trafficking syndicate has been charged for allegedly possessing illicit drugs and proceeds of crime.
The criminal syndicate is alleged to be responsible for the failed importation of 92kg of illicit drugs and more than 477,000 cigarettes into Australia in February, 2025.
The Ascot Vale man, 65, appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on 18 July, 2025 —charged with:
- One count of possession of a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully imported, contrary to section 307.8 of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- One count of dealing in property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more, contrary to section 400.9(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
If convicted, he faces maximum imprisonment of life for the drug charge, and 10 years for the proceeds of crime offence.
An AFP investigation after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers in Sydney and Melbourne detected 92kg of illicit drugs and more than 477,000 cigarette sticks spread across four separate consignments in February.
The consignments, which originated in Vietnam —were labelled as containing clothing such as leggings, hats and socks, and concealed about 55kg of methamphetamine, 35kg of heroin and 2kg of MDMA.
ABF officers detected the first three consignments in Sydney and referred the matter to the AFP for investigation.
AFP enquiries revealed they had similar billing details, and were all redirected to a logistics facility in Bankstown, NSW, after arriving in Australia.
On 25 February, 2025, ABF officers in Melbourne examined a consignment with similar billing details, and found cigarettes, methamphetamine, and small amounts of MDMA and heroin.
Further enquiries into a phone number linked to the consignment allegedly revealed a Vietnamese drug trafficking organisation using multiple burner phones to evade law enforcement.
Police allegedly then linked the man to a burner phone registered to the consignments.
While in possession of the burner phone, it’s alleged the man travelled from Melbourne to Sydney on numerous occasions in February.
A search warrant was executed at the man’s Ascot Vale home on 17 July, 2025. Items seized included about $130,000 in cash, 3kg of methamphetamine and 1kg of cocaine, and 4 mobile phones. (AFP)
