Police believe that if the defendants had not been caught, they would have continued to defraud the government. Source: PxHere.
Officers from Taskforce Uniform Knot have arrested 9 men and one woman involved in a Goods and Services Tax (GST) scheme with fraud offences.
Detectives launched Operation Uniform Doublet after an investigation led them to uncover a scheme that was being committed by people linked to criminal street gangs said Queensland Police.
Warrants were issued for people across Brisbane and Toowoomba and several items including a BMW coupe, cash, drugs, crypto hardware wallets, identification and designer clothing have been seized.
It’s been alleged by police that the people aged between 18-22 cheated the ATO of more than $1.8 million.
“[They] were involved in a number of large-scale deceptions against government agencies and financial institutions where they provided false details in order to receive fraudulent payments,” said officers.
All accused people will appear in court over the coming month with Detective Acting Superintendent Tim Leadbetter saying it’s a good outcome of the investigation.
“This is an excellent example of investigators identifying offense and commencing immediate action to investigate and disrupt the crime. We believe the funds obtained are used to undertake further serious offending,” he said.
List of defendants and their charges
- 18-year-old Redbank man- charged with four counts of fraud.
- 18-year-old Kleinton man- charged with one count each of fraud, possessing explosives, dangerous drugs and utensils and contravene equipment.
- 19-year-old Goodna man- charged with nine counts of fraud, nine counts of receiving tainted property, one count each of money laundering, contravene requirement and possesses explosives.
- 20-year-old Redbank Plains man- charged with 10 counts of fraud and one count of possesses dangerous drugs.
- 20-year-old Durack man- charged with two counts of fraud.
- 20-year-old Kearneys Spring woman- charged with two counts of fraud and one count of possessing tainted property.
- 20-year-old Ripley man- charged with two counts of fraud, possesses tainted property, and contravene requirement and one count of money laundering.
- 20-year-old Springfield Lakes man- charged with three counts of fraud, two counts of attempted fraud, receiving and possessing tainted property and one count of possesses dangerous drugs.
- 22-year-old Redbank Plains man- charged with two counts of fraud.
- 22-year-old Chapel Hill man – charged with two counts of fraud and one count of possesses tainted property.
