r POLICE

Eastern Region Special Report

Quarterly Journal of the Australian Federal Police May 1992, No. 35

Judge Giovanni Falcone 1939- 1992

“The Mafia is not just an octopus.It is a vicious panther with the memory of an elephant.”

Dr Giovanni Falcone

On Saturday 23 May 1992, Ita­ly's best known anti-Mafia judge, Dr Giovanni Falcone, was killed, with his wife and three body­guards, in a bomb blast near the Sicilian capital, Palermo.

Dr Falcone visited Australia in 1991, as a member of a delega­tion of eminent Italian law enforcement officers.

The purpose of the visit was to conduct high level discussion with law enforcement agencies such as the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, the Na­tional Crime Authority and the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.

As Chief Judge and District

Attorney of the High Court of Palermo, Dr Falcone was able to contribute his vast experience of law enforcement to the discus­sions.

A concrete outcome of the visit was the formalising of a Co-operation Agreement be­tween the Australian Federal Police and the Italian State Po­lice, enabling the exchange of information and co-operation in investigations of organised crime.

The Australian Federal Police deplores Dr Falcone's assassina­tion and laments the loss, both to Italian law enforcement and to the world, of an outstand­ingly courageous opponent of organised crime.

\/ R. (Peter) McAulayCommissioner of Police

Contents

In this issueIn this first of a series of re­

ports on the AFP's Regions, Platypus discovers it is not only the architecture of Eastern Region's headquarters that is forward looking; the same ap­plies to those who work within its walls.Turn to page 2.

Thai Border Patrol Police get tough on opium growers, de­stroying fields of poppies with the world's media there to witness the event.Turn to page 17.

Operation Trumpet' started as a Federal Narcotics Bureau operation in 1974. The case involved a huge cast of crimi­nals and investigators. The final chapter was played out in Sydney District Court in September 1991.Turn to page 18.

Eastern Region Special Feature........................................................ 2Fighting crime in the premier' State........................................... 3Regional HQ towers above TNT..................................................6Analysts sift for gold........................................................................7Forensic Services: a vital role...................................................... 8VIP Protection Unit......................................................................... 9The Portswatch (Air) Unit............................................................10The Portswatch (Sea) Unit..........................................................11A policeman with a mission........................................................12

MOSC moves to Barton College..................................................... 13Family - the silent partner............................................................... 15Thirty-year milestone for investigator............................................... 16Thai opium poppies destroyed.........................................................17Operation Trumpet'............................................................................18Barton College loses long-time worker.......................................... 21Cover PhotoWilliam Street. Sydney © Nick Rains. Stockshots

PlatypusEditor Jacky Abbott

Editorial AdviserAssociate Commissioner Steve Gavin

Production Editor Terry Browne

Contributing Editors Brian SwillJanice Jarrell

Regional RepresentativesACT Region Brian Mtnards

Bob WallbrinkNorthern Region Philip CastleEastern Region Stephen SimpsonSouthern Region Keith Livingston

Graphic Artist Stella Klein

ISSN 0159-1606

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The Platypus has been adopted by the Australian Federal Polico as a symbol representing the diverse requirements placed upon members in the execution ol their duty This unique and tenacious Australian mammal is a survivor against increasing pressure Irom today s environment It leaves no stone unturned in Its daily pursuits and has equipped itselt with a range of features to adapt to changes over many years It is capable ot passing unnoticed it roquired yet demonstrates an unfailing dedication to oxploro alt possibilities m an ettod to maintain its special place in Australia s wildiito at times against larger and more powerful opponents - a quality ad mtrod and respected by members ol the Australian Fodoral Police

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Eastern Region Special FeatureBy Assistant Commissioner Bliil Baer

THERE is much that is special about Eastern Region, but that

is not to say that the same cannot be said about other Regions. 1 be­lieve that it would be most presumptuous and unwise* of any Regional Officer-in-Charge to claim that his Region did anything better than another, but I do claim that, leaving aside community policing, Eastern Region does more of the range of Regional activities than any other Region.

This feature amply records the scope and scale of activities in Eastern Region.Turning to what is special in

Eastern Region, I nominate its per­sonnel, both staff and police members. Over the past year or so the dedication and loyalty of our staff members has been demon­strated time and again, where against a backdrop of falling num­bers and recruitment embargoes they have risen to and met every challenge. Their performance, from the often solitary staff member in the registry through all areas to the Regional Executive, has been just short of incredible. To steal some words, "I dips me lid to each and every one of them''. I am informed that, without exception, during the recent visit by the Resources Re­view Team, only the highest praise was accorded our staff members. Our police members also are

special. The fall in staff member numbers has dictated changes in the way that they have had to perform their work. Long gone are the days of keyboard and similar support personnel. This support vanished at the same time that keyboard intensive systems such as COPS arrived, thereby exacerbating or accentuating the loss. Members, and to a lesser degree staff mem­bers, have had to change their work practices and come to grips with 'techno shock' as modern technology was introduced, to­gether with training, to bridge the gap caused by the loss of this support. All members of all ages

Page 2

and ranks have responded and risen to the challenge to the extent that not only has the gap been bridged but, I would argue, en­hanced productivity has been achieved. Again, "1 dips me lid" to all police members and, in par­ticular, to the nameless Detective Commander who was convinced that all computers hated him, but who can now make a COPS entry, or send a cc: Mail message, along with the best of them.

While there are many other things special about Eastern Region such as the practical application of tech­nology; drug substitution processes; criminal assets investigation suc­cesses; the environment peculiar to Sydney; our accommodation and many other things, none is as spe­cial, or as valued, as our personnel.

Deputy Commissioner Phil Baer surveying Sydney's skyline from the lop of Eastern Region HQ.

Eastern Region Headquarters

/ka&ote

Fighting crime in the ‘premier’ StateBy Stephen Simpson

Sydney, the focal point of Federal crime in Eastern Region.

BIG, bold and brassy are terms regularly used in an attempt to define the atmosphere and life­

style of Sydney, and Sydneysiders would probably say the description is close to the mark.

Sydney is Australia's largest city, with a population of more than 3.5 million people living in what ap­proximates a giant square, bounded by Broken Bay in the north, the Blue Mountains in the west, and Port Hacking in the south. In a virtually uninterrupted ribbon of development north and south of Sydney are the cities of Newcastle and Wollongong, which together contribute nearly 7(X),tXX) people to New South Wales' over­all population of 5.75 million.

The harbour and waterways, the Bridge, the Opera House, the beaches, the Blue Mountains; they are internationally known features of beauty that characterise Sydney and contribute to its cosmopolitan atmosphere. Also contributing to the atmosphere is the worst traffic congestion in Australia, along with industrial air pollution in the western suburbs of Sydney caused by the city's basin-like geography.

The harbour and beachside sub­urbs of Sydney boast some of the most beautiful views imaginable, with housing prices to match. Owning a house in Sydney, with its dwindling land supply and surging demand, costs on average a third more than in Melbourne, its nearest rival, and approaches twice the ct>st of Canberra. With house­hold incomes little different from the national average, house own­ership in Sydney is beyond many of its residents.

Sydney has a varied racial mix in its population, with areas of high ethnic concentration that have cor­respondingly high levels of unemployment, crime and social problems.

The nation's busiest international and domestic airports are in Syd­ney and together with Newcastle and Wollongong, Sydney has the

busiest seaports. This volume of traffic also means that some of Australia's Largest drug seizures are made or orchestrated in Sydney. Operation 'Clinker' (October 1988), a 43 kg heroin seizure; Operation 'Soy' (May 1989), 50 kg of heroin; Operation 'Melaleuca' (February 1990), 28 kg of cocaine; Operation 'Chair' (June 1988), a 3 tonne can­nabis seizure; all had Sydney as a focus.The home-grown drug industry

in NSW is also very active, al­though less profitable of late, as the NSW Police and its Drug Enforce­ment Agency arm have had great success in discovering and de­stroying huge crops of cannabis throughout the State.

As for Commonwealth fraud, most departments have offices in Sydney with staff numbers, rev­enue and expenditure figures, and a client base, commensurate with

the size of the city's population. This has resulted in AFP's Eastern Region in recent times being in­volved in a number of major investigations into sales tax and social security frauds; counterfeit currency operations; illegal immi­grant scams and frauds by government employees.

The size and character of NSW and particularly Sydney means that Eastern Region's working environ­ment is clearly one where its 515 personnel are exposed to all facets of AFP national policing.

The Region’s StructureThe Region has three major divi­

sions; Drug Operations; Fraud and General Crime; and Intelligence. Support branches are: Corporate Management; and Services with outposted sections of Forensic Services, Police Technical Unit, In­ternal Investigations Division (IID)

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Australian Federal Police

Eastern Region

Officer-in-Charge Assistant Commissioner I’. Baer

Intelligence Division Fraud and General Crime Drug Operations Division Commander K. Phillips Commander A. Wells Commander M. Blaylock

and Internal Security and Audit Division (ISAD).Assistant Commissioner Phil Baer

heads the Region, with Com­manders Morri Blaylock, Andy Wells, and Ray Phillips in charge of the drugs, fraud, and intelligence divisions respectively. There are a further 19 superintendents, 111 sergeants and 335 constables in the Region and the 56 staff members are at levels four (3), three (8), two (22) and one (23).

Drug Operations DivisionStatistics indicate that Sydney is

the major point of entry of drugs into Australia, meaning that the Division is at the forefront of the AFP's national drug policing ob­jectives.The Division has around 120 of­

ficers working in one of three Branches: Response; Targeting and General Operations.

The Response Branch basically reacts to drug seizures at either the airport or a seaport on an around- the-clock basis and generally runs short-term investigations. It deals regularly with Customs officers and import agencies.

Targeting Branch conducts longer term investigations bast'd on tar­geted individuals and groups. The Branch also has a surveillance ca­pability.General Operations Branch is

mainly responsible for investigating parcel post seizures at the Interna­tional Mail Exchange. It is also a training area for new members to the Drug Division.

Numerous joint drug operations in the Region are conducted with the NSW Police Drug Enforcement Agency and with the Australian Customs Service. A unique agree­ment exists between the NSW Police and the Region which de­fines the respective roles relating to the importation and distribution of drugs in this State.

Fraud and General Crime Divi­sion

Considering the size of the State's population, as well as the concen­tration of Federal government departments and authorities in Sydney and their expenditure budgets, this Division is also at the forefront in protecting the Com­monwealth's revenue. Whilst the types of matters investigated seem no different from those in other Regions, the volume of work is, however, greater.

Page 4

The Division has 130 officers working in four branches, three of which are dedicated to investigat­ing the wide range of Federal crimes and allegations requiring Federal Police attention. The fourth Branch, General Investigations, is designed to cater for the specialist functions surrounding the complex proceeds of crime and assets trac­ing investigations; the growing forged currency inquiries; and the sensitive Family Law investiga­tions. As well, the Branch is home to the Operational Co-ordination Centre and the Divisional Support Group.

Outposted to Newcastle are four members under the command of a detective sergeant. This office in­vestigates the full ambit of Federal offences in the growing Newcastle and Hunter Valley region.

Some of the investigations are extraordinarily complex, some are highly sensitive, others involve potentially huge revenue losses to the government. Some are also dangerous. At present the Division Ls investigating an alleged tax fraud where funds involving about $150 million are being diverted overseas. Another current investigation arising out of an 1CAC inquiry concents al­legations of the 'sale ' of confidential government information.

An Australian citizenship scam allegedly involving forged certifi­cates, a $600,000 profit to the principal and the arrest of several people, was investigated last year.

With little information to work with, the Currency Unit late last year tracked down an alleged for­gery operation concerning more than $8 million in US bank notes and made three arrests. The Criminal Assets Investigation Unit contributed a $28 million share of the $37 million in criminal assets presently held Australia wide.

Danger can accompany any in­vestigation. In August last year, one of the Division's constables was run over by a car when he and two colleagues attempted to interview the driver over a forged tax cheque matter.The Newcastle office has had its

share of interesting investigations. In 1991, the office was involved with Queensland Police in the ar­rest of a man who allegedly tried to blow up a cruise ship to collect insurance.

Intelligence DivisionWith more than 140 personnel, the

Intelligence Division is numerically the Region's largest. To claim Sydney as the nation's organised crime capi­tal may be speculative, but in terms

Plnly/ms 35 Mm/ PI'.)2

of drug seizures and criminal asset seizures alone, it could be justified. If Sydney isn't the crime capital, it comes close. In this context, the work of the Region's Intelligence Division is vital.The Division has four branches:

Crime Analysis; Crime Intelligence; Portswatch and Protection; and Sur­veillance.

The Crime Analysis Branch proc­esses information and develops it into useable intelligence in the identification of targets. It is the Di­vision's research arm. Its personnel collect information from the other divisions as well as other agencies such as Customs, Corrective Services, the NSW Crime Commission, the DEA, and the State Intelligence Group, and disseminate it accord­ingly. They are also skilled in a wide variety of languages.The investigative arm of the Divi­

sion is the Criminal Intelligence Branch, which develops targets for eventual referral to operational units. The Branch also provides tactical support to operational units when required and has a team specialising in politically motivated violence.The main role of the Portswatch

and Protection Branch is to re­spond to alerts on passengers arriving in or departing from Aus­tralia. The Branch also gathers intelligence information to assist Customs in its functions. It also provides close personal protection to VIPs and certain consular offi­cials. The Airport, Seaports and Close Protection Units of the Branch are stationed at Sydney

Eastern Region HQ's impressive foyer.

Airport, and two Seaports officers are posted at Wollongong.The Surveillance Branch collects

evidence to support an arrest or seizure of criminal evidence, working only on jobs where nor­mal investigation cannot achieve the required results. Its officers are involved in controlled deliveries ot drugs, 'life-style' surveillance and long term target surveillance.

Services and Corporate Management BranchesThe Services and Corporate

Management Branches provide the means to allow the Region to op­erate, and account for a diverse range of functions.

Services Branch handles the Re­gion's communications, drug and

exhibit registries, training, the computer network, legal services, technical services and auditing. The absence of any of these functions would rapidly bring the Region to its knees.

The same is true of the Corporate Management Branch. Personnel, pay and conditions, general serv­ices, building and property, budget management, health, welfare, me­dia liaison, and the quartermaster are units all making a vital contri­bution.

The OutpostsForensic Services Branch has a

staff of 15, of whom eight are in the Physical Evidence Unit. The Branch provides a specialist docu­ment examination service to the AFP Australia wide, and the Unit is involved in recording physical evidence. The expertise of both ar­eas is widely acknowledged throughout the AFP.The Police Technical Unit occu­

pies an office remote from Rl IQ and provides the technical support for the Region's investigations. The IID and ISAD outposts are within Regional Headquarters and (it is hoped) no busier than they should be.The Region also has a number of

officers, including three superintend­ents, on secondment to the NCA's Sydney office, as well as four offic­ers on secondment to the Australian Securities Commission. A superin­tendent and a sergeant are also on secondment from Investigations IX*- partment, HQ, to the Cash Transactions Reports Agency (soon to be AUSTRAC) in Sydney.An indoor range is one of many specialist features of Eastern Region I IQ.

»4... tnni I’llge 5

Regional HQ towers above TNTli\ Stephen Simpson

Impressive front a distance, TNT Tower No,2 nave no indication of the well-worn interior when occupied by the AFP.

EASTERN Region's new pur­pose built headquarters is state of the art in design and facilities

for the AFP's Regional role, and is testimony to the Government's commitment to the future of the AFP. But according to Barry Ley- shan, the Region's Building and Property Manager, we haven't al­ways had it so good.

Except for a period during the 1470s, Barry has worked for one of the AFP's predecessors, the Com­monwealth Police (Compol), since 1466 and can trace the history of the Region's accommodations since then.Compol, according to Barry, in

the early days in Sydney was housed in City offices at 114 Phil­lip Street and then moved to Chifley Square into the monolithic Commonwealth Centre, which was recently demolished.

In 1461 Compol relocated to offices in Darlinghurst, known as Sundek I louse. The address was Brisbane Street, but it is more like a laneway and runs off the infamous Oxford Street, which was relatively innocu­ous in those- days. Sundek House, which still stands, Ls only 100 metres or so from the new headquarters in Goulbum Street.

The new headquarters was built on the site of the former Vanity Fair Hotel, a well patronised wa­tering hole for many of the tenants of Sundek House.

With its lack of facilities, cramped conditions, no air conditioning and with a carbon factory next door coating everything in grime, Sundek House accommodation was a little on the primitive side. By 1472, with its numbers expanded to around 120 members, Compol had well and truly outgrown its headquarters. The then Superin­tendent Roy Farmer, who was the Regional OIC, gave Inspector Keith Strickland the job of finding new premises.TNT Tower No. 2 in downtown

Red fern got the mxl and six floors of the building were eventually

leased in November 1477. In what initially was relative luxury, Compol resided in the tower until its successor, the AFP, came into being. The building was retained as the AFP's headquarters from 1474.

During the 1480s the AFP contin­ued to expand in Eastern Region and eventually occupied all 11 floors of the TNT Tower, as well as three floors of an office in Goul­bum Street and another building in Surry 11 ills, which housed the then Organised Crime Unit. The Region was bursting at the seams. Whilst externally the TNT twin towers were a distinctive feature on the Redfern landscape, Tower No. 2 internally at least, was gradually becoming dilapidated: worn car­pets, dirty walls and windows and lifts designed for the adventurous; one might have thought that rent payments were behind!The building had no specific

communications, scientific, training or secure facilities, all of which must have had an adverse impact on the functioning of the Region. Nor was there any internal car parking. This forced officers to es­cort offenders to and from the building to cars parked in the street, much to the delight of the television media, who would camp outside on the footpath when they got wind of a major operation and record the 'traffic.'

In 1482 an exhaustive search began for a new headquarters. The AFP agreed in 1484 to a joint tenancy of the Redfern Mail Ex­change with the Department of

Administrative Services, but Aus­tralia Post later withdrew the exchange from sale. After much planning and negotiation, tenders were called in I486 for developers to construct a purpose built build­ing for the AFP in Sydney. Seventeen offers were received, of which six were considered suitable.The Goulbum Street proposal was

selected because it was close to the courts and the various authorities with which the AFP has daily contact; it was on the fringe of the Central Business District and vehi­cle access and public transport were gotxl. The building, including its specialised fitout, was com­pleted in November 1440.The $35 million structure com­

prises 10 floors totalling 12,000 irr of first class office accommodation and special purpose installations, plus a four level basement car park for 150 cars. With designated com­munications, forensic and physical evidence installations, as well as vaults and an indoor pistol range, Eastern Region certainly has the infrastructure to do the job. Staff too are well looked after with a cafeteria, lounge, gymnasium, squash court, locker rooms and showers.

From Sundek I louse to the TNT building to Goulbum Street; each move has meant a huge leap in the quality of facilities and accommo­dation for Eastern Region's members and staff. The lease is up on Goulbum Street in 2005. It is hard to imagine what might su­persede it.

Analysts siftBy Terry Browne

EASTERN Region Crime Analy­sis Branch boasts a range of skills that have evolved to meet the

needs of criminal investigation in Australia's multicultural society.

The work of the Branch members can be likened to sifting for gold, according to the Officer-in-Charge, Mike McGreevy.

The Branch is the research arm of the Intelligence Division and is re­sponsible for processing relevant information into usable crime in­telligence.

To do this the Branch has three units whose functions vary from collection, sorting and evaluation to full analysis of information on criminal activities.

Mike said the Division's aim is to pass quality intelligence on crimi­nal targets to operational units, so as to make the most efficient use of investigators' time.

The Crime Analysis Branch cur­rently has a staff of 26. Mike said that the Branch is deliberately top heavy with detective sergeants. "Some of our liaison officers are detective sergeants with 14 to 15 years' experience as this is the level of officer they deal with in other agencies." These officers liaise with other State and Federal agencies in an exchange of information, under the strict provisions of the Privacy Act.

Screening of information forms the basis of the Branch's work, with 1300-1700 information requests and 300-400 reports passing through the Branch each month. Written and re­corded intelligence collected by investigators is also examined for any information that helps build up the profile of a crime, a criminal or a crime syndicate. Increasingly, crimi­nal analysis requires language skills.

Staff members with analyst training and foreign language skills supple­ment the Branch's solid base of police investigative experience, ena­bling the Branch to process intelligence on a full range of crimi­nal activities, no matter what the country of origin.

for gold

Detective Constable Lindy Pettit pointed out that even in the Eng­lish language investigators have trouble keeping up with the 'street talk' and colloquialisms. She says her 14 years' experience in fraud and drug investigation helps her to identify intelligence that will be of most use to operational investiga­tors. Lindy said she is able to keep in touch with changes in the lan­guage because investigators seem to adopt street expressions and use them in the office.

Branch members with foreign lan­guage skills are the first to deny the 'expert' tag. For most, their language skills were acquired inci­dentally while pursuing education in other fields.A detective constable, who holds

a degree in physics from Sydney University, learned Italian as a family language. He said, "The secret of good foreign language analysis is knowing when to call for outside help. My family is from Italy's north; southern dialects are totally different." He says that na­tionally certified interpreters are used to ensure that a translation will stand up in court.John Wu, currently an acting

senior analyst, spent a year learn­ing German at Bonn University. A graduate of Sydney University,

with post graduate studies at the University of NSW, John's first language is Japanese. Apart from fluent English he is also able to converse in French, Mandarin and Cantonese. He says that a good knowledge of the culture behind a language is an important key to good analysis technique. John is currently working towards a PhD.

Being in the right place at the right time proved to be a turning point in Dorothy Chong's AFP ca­reer. Dorothy, originally from Malaysia, was employed in general administrative duties when called on to help when a Hong Kong man appeared at ER headquarters waving a newspaper picture of a senior AFP officer. As a result of her interpreting skills, Operation 'Soy7 was bom, an operation which resulted in a major drug investiga­tion and seizure by Eastern Regions' Dmg Operations Division

Speaking Malay, Hakka, Canton­ese and Mandarin, Dorothy was assisting John Wu on a report on Malaysian and Singaporean crimi­nal activities in NSW when Dr Victor Chang was gunned down in Sydney in 1991. The report proved useful to NSW Police investigating the crime.Pichaed Tangvisethpat came to

Australia in 1980 and first worked

Forensic Services: a vital roleBy Stephen Simpson

Sergeant Kay Salmon and Constable Leonie Marshall operating the VSC-1 CCD camera anil.

for the AFP as an interpreter on Operation Toggle' in 1981. He then worked on a casual basis for the AFP and spent some time with the NCA before starting full-time with the AFP in W88. Originally from Thailand, he holds a Veterinary Science degree and speaks the Chinese dialect Chiu Chow as well as Mandarin, Cantonese and Lao­tian.With six years' experience as a

lieutenant in the Turkish National Police, Alpagut Cagatay majored in Political Science and Interna­tional Relations at the University of An Lira and was Assistant Branch Chief for Linguistic Services at NATO, specialising in French and English. I le is currently accredited level 3 status with the National Accreditation Authority for Trans­lators and Interpreters for Turkish to English and vice versa.

His introduction to the AFP came in November N8b, when he was recruited for Operation 'Genesis' to provide expert testimony on voice recordings on 130 audio tapes - a task that took 18 months.

Members with foreign language capabilities also receive in-service analysis training to augment the depth of analytical experience in the Branch.One of the Branch's longest serv­

ing crime analysts, Ray Ingram, started with Customs in 1066 and went on to the Federal Narcotics Bureau and then to the AFP in 1979. He says that over the years he has seen a number of scams come around time and time again and lie has come to recognise per­sonal traits of some long-time criminals.

When it comes to arrests, he maintains that it is not what you get, it is who you get. Taking out major players can have a long- lasting affect on the crime scene.

He regards Sydney as the major centre of illicit imports, with those elsewhere being organised by Sydney-based crime groups.

He finds great satisfaction in the analytical process and said that in his retirement he has seriously considered prospecting for gold; an ironic twist for someone who, like his fellow analysts, spends each working day sifting through mountains of paper for minute bits of information that will help to put criminals behind bars.

IT'S one thing to know who the villains are and to catch them in the act; it's another to have them

locked up for what they deserve.Many factors come into play. The

investigation must be sound; the brief of evidence foolproof and the prosecution well argued.

With sound forensic evidence, the chances of a successful prosecution are greatly enhanced. In Eastern Re­gion, forensic services are provided by the Physical Evidence Section and the rXxaiment Examination Branch, (DEB), both being outposts of the Forensic Services Division based in Canberra.

The staff of the Physical Evidence Section photographs drug seizures, crime scenes and any evidentiary material; it fingerprints evidence and examines vehicles and equipment; and provides photographic services. Most time is spent on drug seizures, and the section has developed unri­valled expertise in the area of drug substitutions used in controlled de­liveries.lire Section regularly disassembles

and removes drugs from suitcases, packing crates, machinery, electronic equipment, and anything that can be used as a means of concealment.

Substituting the drugs with a suitable substance can be difficult, but reas­sembling the item to a condition where its interception is undetectable to the drug trafficker is a real art. In one substitution the Section made a duplicate stamp of the brand of heroin. The stamp contained a subtle difference from the original tor iden­tification purposes.lire Document Examination Branch

examines and compares questioned or disputed documents with material from a known source to establish the age, content or source of the material. Most of the work involves compari­sons of handwriting, signatures, printers, paper, et cetera, and is done by members who undertake a four year in-house training course.

With the recent move to the Re­gion's 'tailor made' building, the facilities and equipment levels for both the physical evidence and the DEB sections are now first class. The DEB is the proud possessor of one of only three video spectral comparators in Australia. This instrument, worth $50,000, uses reflected infra-red lu­minescence in the examination of a suspect document to determine whether it has been altered or partly obliterated.

Page 8 I’lnlt/i'iK 35 Mu 1/1992

VIPProtectionUnit

The US Consul-General presented Eastern Region VIPP members certificates oj appreciation for protection work done during the period of the Gulf War.L to R: D/Const Chris Noble. D/Sgl Ian llill. Constables Andre Lett: and Steve Martin. Consul-General Phillip Lincoln, and DlConsl Jenny Cooper.

EASTERN Region's Close Pro­tection Unit has gained a reputation for providing a high

standard of protection over the years and many past and present members have been commended by those VIPs provided with their services.

The Unit is located in the Com­monwealth Offices building near the International Terminal at Syd­ney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport. The nominal staffing is two sergeants and 16 constables, two of whom are allocated to the Temple Court Family Law Courts complex in the city.

The Unit is well equipped and trained to respond to a range of protection tasks. To supplement staffing, a register of other members who have received training or who have protection experience is main­tained to meet unusual workloads. This was the case during the Gulf

War in 1991, when the Region provided additional close protec­tion to the Consuls-General of the US, the UK and Egypt.

VIP protection has been an im­portant function in Eastern Region for many years. The only Regions to have members assigned full-time to this task are Eastern and South­ern. Eastern Region's Unit has two permanent tasks: the provision of personal security to the Consul- General of Turkey and the Consul-General of Israel. In addi­tion, the Unit provides assistance to members of Protection Division engaged in the security of the Prime Minister, the Governor-Gen­eral, Federal ministers, ambassadors and overseas visitors. Assistance is also provided to members of other Regions involved in close protection and a particu­larly good liaison is maintained with Southern Region VIPP Squad and Protection Division.

Tlte expansion of Eastern Region's VIP Protection Unit resulted from the assassination of the Consul- General of Turkey and his bodyguard at Dover l leights, Syd­ney, in December 1980. Prior to

this event, the permanent VIPP unit comprised two sergeants, whilst uniformed members con­ducted patrols of the various consulates in Sydney.

Following the assassination, Turkish Consular staff were pro­vided with escorts to and from their work, but this was discontin­ued after a period of time. In June 1982, as a result of an updated threat assessment, a permanent squad was formed to undertake protection of the Turkish Consul- General and Consular staff. As a result of the bombings of the Israeli Consulate in Westfield Towers and the Hakoah Soccer Club at Bondi in December 1982, the role of the VIPP Unit was expanded to provide protection to the Consul-General of Israel.The security work at Temple

Court, and previously at the Par­ramatta Family Law Court, arose from the murders of Family Court Judge, Mr Justice David Opas, in 1980; and Mrs Pearl Watson, the wife of Family Court Judge, Mr Justice Ray Watson, in 1984; as well as the bombing of the Par­ramatta Court in 1984.The working day of a VIPP of­

ficer is varied. The officer goes where the VIP goes. It may be an audience with the Queen one day and watching a truck racing meet­ing the next, as happened recently when the Turkish Consul-General was invited to the event. Travel,

both intra and interstate, is the norm. An officer arriving at work for the day often doesn't know just when the day will finish.

At times the Unit is required to provide full protection to nomi­nated VIPs where it is not practicable to allocate a member from Protection Division in Can­berra. On numerous occasions the Unit oversights the movement through Sydney Airport of arriv­ing, departing, or transiting royalty, heads of government, and foreign ministers. In particular, travellers from the Pacific Island nations are required to transit through Sydney to connect with flights to other countries. The location ot the Unit at the airport considerably assists its ability to meet this commitment.

Obviously, the job is a sensitive one. Officers in the Unit need to be aware of protocol relating to their VIP; they need to be discreet whilst still per­forming their security role; and they need to be flexible and accommo­dating in attitude. The job also demands high dress standards.

Regular liaison is maintained with the NSW Police Special Branch, as well as the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, COMCAR, consulate staff and security staff of the large hotels to ensure the efficient provision of protective services. The Unit also relies heavily on informa­tion from the Special Intelligence team in Eastern Region's Intelligence Division.

The Portswatch (Air) Unit

By Drift live Superintendent Roh Tunnidiff© Paul Nevin - Stockshots

AS Sydney Airport remains Australia's gateway for 60 per cent of all overseas visitors, the

Portswatch Unit at Sydney Airport is an important link in national and Eastern Region investigations.

Portswatch (Air) Unit looks after the AFP's various interests con­nected with Sydney Airport. Rotating shifts give coverage from 5 am to 'last flight' clearance every day of the year. The Unit's prime role is to respond to the Passenger Automatic Selection System (PASS) alerts and intelligence gathering. Over 30 airline companies now use Sydney Airport, making liaison a continuous task for the Unit.

Sydney Airport opened as an air­field in May 1911. The flat ground adjoining the Cooks River provided access for seaplanes. Ten years later the Commonwealth acquired the aerodrome as an initial investment in the development of a nation­wide network of airports. By 1952, Sydney Airport carried more pas­senger traffic than any other airport in the world outside the United States, with the exception of Lon­don's Heathrow Airport.

In the 1960s, the airline industry throughout the world experienced

massive change with the introduc­tion of the Boeing 707 and later the 747. Travellers were being moved increasingly by aircraft rather than the traditional ocean-going liners. A new international terminal was opened at Sydney Airport in 1970 to cope with these changes. The runways have carried a range of aircraft from bi-planes to Boeings.

Today, Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport has annual passenger traf­fic equal to Australia's population. Approximately 19,000 people are employed at the airport, including 5000 air crew. In an average month, for example, about 350,IKK) international passengers are proc­essed through the airport and up to 145 movements occur each day. When it was opened in 1970, the international terminal building was one of the Australia's largest con­struction projects. Twenty years on and with extensions due to start later this year, the terminal will double in size, allowing 22 jumbo jets to be accommodated at once. Forecasts into year 2010 estimate international traffic equivalent to 1988's combined domestic and in­ternational traffic.

Drug related inquiries form the

basis of Portswatch investigations; however family law and other crimes do impact upon the duties. Family law is particularly difficult to enforce when members have to decide quickly on what action to take. Parents often deliberately leave boarding an aircraft with children until the last moment to thwart inquiries. Late at night and on weekends are usually the times these people choose to at­tempt departure in an effort to make it difficult to check on the facts of court orders or warrants. Delays to aircraft are costed at $1000 per minute, but once a child is allowed to fly out, the chances of getting him or her back to Australia are slim.Portswatch staff throughout

Australia depend on accurate and timely advice from all users of the PASS alert system. When a decision needs to be made, sometimes the only reference material they have is the infor­mation provided when the alert was raised. With the extra pres­sure placed on the staff working at Sydney Airport, they need all the help that they can get to make the right decisions.

Pag/e W I’hiti/I'iis .15 - Mu ft 1992

The Portswatch (Sea) UnitBy Detective Sergeant Brian Bennett

ORGANISED crime on the Australian waterfront bloomed with the first settlement in 1788,

and in many respects little has changed. In those days, rum was smuggled into the country and il­legal emigrants, such as escaping convicts, were smuggled out.

Nowadays it is drugs, falsely branded footwear, illegal immi­grants, and stolen luxury cars which arc- being landed, with fauna and flora, artifacts, and automatic rifles being among other com­modities smuggled out.Criminals drop multi-tonne loads

of hashish from 'mother ships' to trawlers at sea. Unmanifested shipping containers delivered by freighters are stolen from the wharves by the intended recipient leaving no record of the 'phantom' container's existence. Container loads of high value imports, such as liquor, VCRs, and sports cloth­ing and footwear have been stolen straight from the wharves or bond stores by the use of forged docu­mentation and corrupt personnel. Sometimes the theft occurs through

a hole cut in a security fence or by a crane lifting a container over a fence to a stolen truck.The more sporting types take

their chances with a relaxing yacht cruise, say, to the Gulf of Siam and return using a few kilos of heroin or a tonne of Thai sticks for ballast. Others favour a load of guns or munitions for delivery to the latest Pacific island 'hotspot'.

It is in the context of this environ­ment that the Seaports Unit operates. Its primary objective is to collect relevant information to assist the AFP and the Australian Cus­toms Service in seizing drugs and identifying criminals who use the seaports and other points along the coastline.

The Seaports Unit comes under the Portswatch and Protection Branch, and operates from offices at Mascot Airport with a staff of one sergeant and five constables. Two constables are also based at Wollongong.Tasking is split into two overlap­

ping and complementary areas. Liaison and risk assessment along

the coastline is one, and specified projects directed against individuals and groups operating within the three metropolitan ports of Kurnell, Port Botany and Port Jackson is the other.The Unit has developed a reliable

network of informal contacts along the coast and within the ports as well as official contacts among Maritime Services Board officers, Water Police and Pillage Squad members and Fisheries inspectors.Dossiers maintained on the

northern and southern coasts and the metropolitan area contain all incoming intelligence relating to criminal activity, together with risk assessments of much of the coast. Photographs of significant marine features and suspect vessels are included. The dossiers also contain information on local facilities, reli­able contacts, local police resources and often a summary of the area.The unit deals with Customs

Contraband Enforcement Teams on a daily basis and has an excellent relationship with Customs officers at the coalface.

<0 Tony Bee - Stockshols

A policeman with a missionHv Detectin' Sergeant liill Suwlcy

SOME members of the AFP spend their spare time pre­paring for the Police Olympics, or

playing touch football. Others spend their spare time fishing or playing golf. My spare time is taken up with my involvement in assisting Indian orphans through an overseas aid group called Grace Ministries.

I am the vice president of Grace Ministries, which is run on similar lines to World Vision, only on a smaller scale. It is a non-denomina- tional organisation founded by Shirley Mdndoe some 10 years ago in the Hills district of Sydney. It is still based in this district but now it has many members, and Shirley, who is a woman of oaiinary means, is still the honorary secretary.The agency has three children's

homes in And rah Pradesh state, in southern India. The homes have collectively 160 children, each spon­sored by donors in Australia for $20 a month. This sponsorship pro­vides food, clothing, and medical care. It also provides for a Chris­tian upbringing and education for the children who otherwise would be left to fend for themselves on the streets. The children are sup­ported until they finish their education and receive training in a trade or profession. Their ages range from six to 18 years.The three homes are run by

Christian pastors. Allied to their activities with the homes is support for pastors and bible women who work in the tribal areas of Andrah Pradesh. These people are also sup­ported by sponsors in Australia, and as well as their evangelist du­ties they are involved in teaching basic health care, adult literacy, sewing and other skills.

In my capacity as vice president of the ministry, I travelled to India with our president, Mr Ron Lankshear, to inspect the homes that we support and compare our

work with that done by other charities in Andrah Pradesh. 1 was there between 27 December 1991-30 January 1992 and during that time I travelled more than 4000 km within the state, mostly by train. In fact, in the last week of my visit l took four train trips that were each more than 14 hours long.

Much of my time in India was spent visiting tribal villages in the agency areas. The tribal people are considered to be different by the plains people and are treated as lesser citizens, although my expe­rience was they were very hospitable and friendly. The vil­lages, in the main, consisted of mud walled, thatched roofed, two or three roomed dwellings, with no electricity. Cooking is done on wixxl fires or in some instances on gas rings.On 4 January we visited a tribal

village called Pamugamdi (Peak of Snakes). We spoke to the village president about the possibility of setting up a medical centre in the village and we inspected some

land that he was willing to set aside if we built a centre. As we prepared to leave, a bus filled with armed police officers entered the village and we went on our way. We read in the paper two days later that the police had killed six communist guerrillas in the forest just outside the village. This was the only time during the trip that we might have been in any danger.The highlight of the trip for me

w'as seeing three young men who have grown up at one of our homes and who are now complet­ing their training as welders. The three, together with two of the older girls who have just finished a tailoring course, are the first of our children to complete their education and training. This is the aim of our mission: to lift these children off the street, give them a place to live, and give them both a general and Christian education. The visit confirmed to me that we are achieving these aims and I am looking forward to returning to India to see the children in a few years' time.

Pngc 12 Platypus 35 May 1992

MOSC moves to BartonBy Terry Browne

College

FOUR weeks of intensive train­ing and mindgames," is the way one course member described

the Management of Serious Crime (MOSC) course, while another said it was "mentally exhausting, but worthwhile".The AFP's second MOSC course

took place on 9 March - 3 April, for the first time at Barton Training College. The original course was held at the Majura Complex in June 1991.

To enable Barton College to ac­commodate the course, a sophisticated control room was constructed complete with compu­ter networks and audio visual monitoring systems.Deputy Commissioner Adrien

Whiddett said that the aim of the course was to sharpen the skills of

senior AFP officers in the manage­ment of serious crime.

For the AFP, a serious crime may be defined as one which requires an investigation that crosses inter­national, national and State boundaries, and involves substan­tial human and financial resources, numerous operations and the management of competing opera­tional demands.

Mr Whiddett said MOSC is the only course of its type available in Australia and is the peak course in the A FI’. In time, placement on the course will be available to State police and other investigative agencies.

The course Director, Commander John Dau, added that the course focused on the macro issues asso­ciated with the management of

such investigations, particularly multi-disciplinary inquiries.

He said for course participants to be successful, they needed to step back from the operational side and address matters such as lead agency issues, reporting arrange­ments, funding and accountability issues, political sensitivities, media arrangements and review proc­esses.The course involved three weeks

of workshops with the threads of a major crime scenario running through it until the crime scenario became the prime activity of the fourth week.The crime scenario is based on a

the activities of a major drug im­portation and money laundering syndicate, and is a blend of actual AFP case histories.

Baek row: Sgt Frank Atkinson. D/Supt Dick Downing. D/Supt Brin e Provost. DISupi Bob Lehmann, DISupt Kay Tinker.DlStipt Jim Duffy.

Middle row: Sgt Steve Samuels. D/Sgt Will Jamieson. Mr Keith lanes. Cmdr Rod Leffers. DISupt Dave Lewington,DISupt Cedric Netto. D/Supt Lloyd Miller. DISupt Dennis Witt.

Front row: DISupi Peter Donaldson, Cmdr Rie Ninness. 4. D/C Ian Broomby, Cmdr John Dau. Cmdr Bob McDonald,DISupt Andre Legos:.

Platypus 35 - May 1992 Page M

Directing staff in the control room monitor the progress of each syn­dicate by video camera and, as appropriate, orchestrate twists and turns in the exercise.Course members are expected to

put into action the theory learned during the first three weeks of the course with the aim of bringing about a desirable conclusion to the investigation.Throughout the course the em­

phasis is on developing multi-disciplinary teams.The course members included

nine superintendents and two commanders. Among the guest presenters were: Sir Max Bingham, Chairman of the Criminal Justice Commission; Mr Ian Temby, Commissioner of the ICAC; Mr

Syndicate members take a team approach to farm ala le management strategies for the major crime scenario.

Justice Lee, who presided over the Blackburn Royal Commission and Mr Kevin O'Connor, the Federal Privacy Commissioner.Another feature of the course was

the extensive hands-on computer experience gained by the course members, who were routinely re­quired to use the local area network to pursue the crime sce­nario. This requirement was in keeping with the emphasis on 'ac­tive learning', a theme that carries through the entire period of the course.

Commander Dau said, 'There is no other course like this in Aus­tralia. It is a very complex course to organise; over the four weeks, in

excess of 60 presenters are required to speak on their particular area of expertise.

"It is a challenge to ensure that the speakers present their topic at the macro-management level and to keep the course members fo­cused at that level also.

"Often there is a tendency for course members to want to get in­volved in investigational issues."Two mentors are used to keep

course members on track. For this course, Superintendent Peter Donaldson of Eastern Region and Detective Superintendent Andre Legosz from Northern Region filled the role. Mr Keith Innes from

Headquarters was on hand to deal with Intelligence matters.

As a course member, Superin­tendent Bob Lehmann found much in the course content that was rel­evant to ACT Region. The course deals with liaison with other law enforcement agencies and members of government; activities quite common in the national capital.

He found the opportunity to present and discuss past major operations, complete with the problems experienced during the operations, to be most instructive.

"I think the exposure to this type of course has the potential to raise the standard of crime management within the AFP and will produce a higher quality in investigations," he said.Commander Bob McDonald from

Southern Region said he thor­oughly enjoyed the course. He found it provided an opportunity to discuss with other members of the AFP a diverse range of critical issues in an informal arena.

He said he benefited from the course content and gained knowl­edge of the management of serious crime and the methodology of ap­plying that knowledge in the workplace.Commander McDonald particu­

larly enjoyed the opportunity to go abseiling, an activity which is used by course directors to promote group solidarity.

The next M05C course will be held in November 1992 and will be* under the Direction of Commander Lloyd Worthy.

Sergeant Steve Samuels and Sergeant f rank Atkinson in the MOSC control room monitoring syndicate progress.

Page II Platypus 35 - May 1992

Family - the silent partner

"Despite research to the contrary, the myth that emergency personnel are trained to deal with death, destruction and brutality without suffering any adverse effects is still alive and well.

With that belief as a premise, it is hardly surprising that little attention has been given to the family members of emergency (service) personnel. After all, how could they be affected if what their spouse is ex­posed to is viewed as simply 'all in a day's work?7It is widely accepted that membership in any family, both exposes one to the catas­trophes of other members and helps one to deal with his/her own catastrophes. Fami­lies both provide support and produce additional stress. Public safety families share that common reality. 1"

By Sonja Jacob. AFP Psychologist

A police career "is not so much a job, as a way of life," ac­

cording to a number of interna­tional studies which show that a police career can affect an officer's immediate and extended family. Current police science literature

abounds with descriptions of the stress associated with police work and the means by which officers buffer the effects. Reports of this kind are causing managers in po­lice organisations to begin to recognise that family life can have a bearing on job performance.

With this in mind the information gathered by the AFP Family Sur­vey will be used to evaluate the effect of members' careers on their families. The survey will provide data unavailable from other sources.

The AFP is breaking new ground with this investigation into the family environment of its employ­ees. No other local research is available to either confirm or dis­pel existing myths related to policing and its impact on families.

Work-family relationships will be a major issue for the 1990s. The interplay of relationships within families can often create problems at work like absenteeism or lack of morale. Although families depend on income provided by work to exist, work is still thought of as something separate from family life. Often the link between rigid workplace practices and family dysfunction is not recognised. Similarly unacknowledged is the link between the pursuit of in­come and the reduction in family quality time. A recognition of these links by an organisation through the provision of supportive work structures and family services can pay off through reduced absentee­ism, better morale, higher productivity, and lower attrition.

Family dysfunction does not nec­

essarily show itself in the form of above national average divorce rates. In fact it would appear that police divorce rates are slightly lower than the national Australian average. Dysfunction within the family environment may however manifest insidiously and produce added stress for the employee.

In Australia little is known about the effects of policing and police culture on the family. More re­search and less fuzzy thinking is needed to clarify the conditions and services which best optimise family well-being within the con­text of a police organisation. The AFP Family Survey will begin to provide such tangible evidence and

may indicate the direction of future health and welfare service devel­opment. This initiative is in line with the International Labour Or­ganisation Convention 156, which recognises that both male and fe­male workers have family responsibilities and that these re­sponsibilities extend beyond early child care and across the life cycle.The results of the survey should

be available by September 1992.1 Harris, V (1^88 August 27). Work­

ing with Families of Emergency Service Staff. The keynote address and work­shop presented at the Second International "Dealing with Stress and Trauma Conference," Melbourne, 26-28 August 1988.

Platypus 35- Mm/1992 Pane 15

Thirty-year milestone for InvestigatorBy Kciili Livingston

DETECTIVE Sergeant Pat Kennedy commenced his ca­reer in Federal policing with the

Commonwealth Police in 1961; spending a large slice of that time in Melbourne, he has witnessed all the major changes that have led to today's A FI’.

When he turned 21, he qualified for the minimum age limit to join Commonwealth Police which was actively recruiting for members at that time. He was formally re­cruited through the Melbourne office located at 159 Hinders Line in the city. No sooner had he put his name on the dotted line than Pat found himself in the field.

At first his duties were more those of a security guard than a police officer. After two years in uniform, Pat applied successfully for duty in the Plain Clothes Branch. The Branch was very much the embryo of the investigative role the AFP now undertakes in the Regions.

In 1963 prospective detectives underwent their basic training as investigators at the Australian Po­lice College at Manly. After the course, Pat returned to Melbourne to a 'small' C1B team: the total Commonwealth Police investigative team strength at that time was about 18 detectives. It would have been impossible to imagine then that the team would grow to the proportions of today's investigative body in Southern Region - some 300-plus members.

Joint Task Force memberPat spent six of the following 28

years working with the Joint Task Force (JTF) made up of AFP and Victoria Police.

In 1981 Pat joined a select team of investigators working on the Meat Substitution Inquiry. The investi­gation uncovered one of the greatest threats to Australia's name as a viable, reputable overseas trader. The ramifications of the in­vestigation were far reaching and a warrant for the arrest of one of the

principals is still outstanding. Pat saw this Operation, codenamed 'Orion', through to its conclusion. He hardly had time to take a breath before he was 'conscripted' into another JTF Operation codenamed 'Rock'. Team members successfully investigated a large drug importation racket involving 330 kg of cannabis resin. They en­countered considerable difficulties as they worked within the techni­calities associated with Federal and State laws, as their investigations were spread between Melbourne and Sydney. The task was made considerably more complex as one of the principals in the gang was a senior Victoria Police member.

Pat's contribution to both opera­tions was recognised by the AH1 Commissioner in the presentation to him and other JTF members of certificates of commendation for their professionalism and conduct of the investigation.

Move to professionalismPat has found the change in the

organisation both refreshing and challenging.

"There's not as much fun in the job now as there used to be. That's due to a number of factors. One being the professionalism of the job now and the different kind of work we used to do in those days/' he said.

He said attitudes have changed dramatically over the vears.

"A $200-300 fraudulent tax cheque was regarded extremely se­riously when I first entered the job. Today, these sorts of jobs hardly raise an eyebrow.

"These days we're looking at much more serious frauds - worth millions of dollars.

"Another thing is the number of times we had to go to court and give evidence.

"Years ago we had to enter the witness box and give evidence ir­respective of the accused person's plea."

Pat said, "These days, because

Detective Sergeant i’at Kennedy

we only have to front court in de­fended cases, a new member could go tor years without ever having to see the inside of a court."

He said the major benefit from change has been in conditions and pay, accompanied by better ac­commodation.

Moving with the timesPat believes another major im­

provement has been the equipment now available to the investigator.

Pat sees himself today as an in­vestigator about 80 per cent of the time - and a copper for the other 20 per cent. 1 le doesn't however, believe this is due to the recent changes within the AFP.

"I would say, even in the old Commonwealth Police days, it was practically much the same. You still had to go out and investigate."

About the futurePat said he enjoys seeing New

Members come in - and teaching them the tricks of the trade.

"After they join my team I am often reluctant to let them go. But 1 realise they are going through a continual development process and must be given the opportunity to gain as much experience as possi­ble."

He is very impressed with the standard of new members.

"They are extremely promising and generally of a high quality," he stated.

After three decades as a member of the Australian Federal Police and Commonwealth Police, Detective Sergeant Pat Kennedy still likes his job and perhaps, more importantly, the people with whom he works.

Page 16 Plati/i>ua .55 - Mai/ 1992

Thai opium poppies destroyedBy Detective Sergeant Ken Davis

Opium poppy fields in Thailand's north.

ON 22 January 1992, the Royal Thai Border Patrol Police in conjunction with the Office of the

Narcotics Control Board carried out the eradication of five opium poppy fields in the presence of Bangkok based Foreign Anti-Nar­cotics Community members (FANC) and representatives of the international media.

The opium poppy fields were lo­cated near the Mong village of Nong Hoy, Sameung District, within the province of Chiang Mai. The village of Nong Hoy is approximately 50 km north of Chiang Mai city and the village is accessible (in the dry sea­son) only by four-wheel-drive vehicle. The opium poppy fields were about 3 km north of the village with the surrounding terrain dictat­ing that the last kilometre to the fields be walked.The five fields, consisting of 5 mi

(approximately 3 acres), were in full bloom with several hundred of the poppy pods having already been scored. The opium poppy fields were interspersed with other consumable crops cultivated by the Mong Hill- tribe villagers from the Nong Hoy village.The Commander of the Border

Patrol Police Eradication Program said that the fields had been re­cently discovered by the Border Patrol Police (BPP) ' and he be­lieved that the poppies were grown for the consumption of the Nong Hoy villagers. It is estimated that 1 mi of opium poppies will yield 1 kg of raw opium. The Nong Hoy village has a total population of 527 villagers, 20 of whom are Chinese

Haw, the remainder Mong.After allowing FANC members

and the media to closely inspect the opium poppies, the Border Pa­trol Police systematically destroyed the plants.

Witnesses of the eradication of the opium poppy fields represented the media of Sweden, France, the European Community, Japan and the BBC.

SameungDistrict

Chiang Mai^

A Thai Border Patrol officer slashing opium poppies in the hills surrounding Nong Hoy in northern Thailand.

Platypus .15 Mm/ J 992

Operation ‘Trumpet’By Detective Sergeant B. K. Bennett

On 20 September 1991, a 17-year-old investigation came to an end with the sentencing of an American, Steven Franklin Shore, to six years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, proving the long arm of the law reaches through time as well as distance.

OPERATION Trumpet' began in Sydney when in August 1974, intelligence was received by

the former Federal Bureau of Nar­cotics (FBN) that two Britons, a Miss T and a Miss G, had success­fully couriered four suitcases of Pakistani cannabis resin into Syd­ney on behalf of an American syndicate. Approximate arrival dates had been supplied. FBN in­quiries soon confirmed that the pair had, in fact, arrived and stayed at the now defunct Noah's Hotel at Rose Bay, before departing for overseas.The information supplied by HM

Customs and Excise advised that this group used couriers of both sexes, but mainly young females, and that the hashish was carried in false lidded 'American Tourister' suitcases. Couriers wore items of green clothing for identification by the waiting controllers. British Customs stated that a British cou­rier, Michael Alistair Suttie, was en route to Sydney with a load, and was due to arrive by air on 10 August 1974.

FBN members covered the arrival of Suttie's nominated flight; how­ever he was not on the passenger list. Observations of passengers from that flight settled on an American, Karen Denise Logan, who wore a green scarf. At the same time, Customs drug detector dogs reacted to two American Tourister suitcases consigned to Logan, who subsequently claimed them under FBN observation.

Logan was given a 'free run' and followed to the Wentworth Hotel, Sydney, where she made contact with a fellow American guest, Mariana Davine Gish Marlowe, who had arrived from New Delhi on 7 August. Logan and Marlowe

were later surveilled to the nearby Menzies Hotel and seen to meet a male. He was later identified as an American, Steven Franklin Shore, a guest there, who had arrived from India on a separate flight on 7 August 1974. Meanwhile, using their wide powers under the then existing Customs Schedule 4 Search Warrants, FBN agents had probed

Steven Franklin Shore (1974)

the cases of Logan and Marlowe and confirmed the presence of hashish.

Lite on the evening of 11 August, an American couple, Janet Alveda Geissel and Joseph Thomas Damillio, checked into the Wentworth Hotel on arrival at Sydney Airport via New Delhi. The pair went directly to Marlowe's rtxim, where they were arrested.

A search of their room revealed four American Tourister cases with false fibreglass lids, two holding 11.41 kg of hashish, the remainder containing 12.55 kg.

Both were interviewed and stated that they had been recruited jointly by Steven Shore to courier the cannabis resin from India to Aus­tralia for cash fees plus tickets and expenses.

The decision to commence arrests at that time boiled down solely to resources. The operation had now been running for some 42 hours over a weekend, with all Sydney members of the FBN involved (the total strength then being only about 35 investigators) plus bor­rowed staff from other areas of Customs. Four different hotels were being covered and the targets were very active (Shore, Logan and Marlowe were out dining and dancing until 4 am). It would lx* fair to say that the surveillance was starting to wilt.Chief Investigator Max Rogers,

the operational commander, made the decision to commence arrests. Geissel and Damillio were the first of 14 arrested, with 12 charged on multiple charges.

Marlowe returned to her room in the early hours of 12 August 1974 and was arrested by Investigator Brian Baker (recently retired as an AFP detective sergeant in Can­berra). Her two suitcases were found to have been gutted, with only hashish traces remaining. She stated that Shore had earlier visited her room and removed the resin. She also had been recruited in In­dia by him.

That morning, Logan and Shore were located together in his room at the Menzies. Hashish weighing 26.5 g and 6.7 g of cocaine (a rar­ity in those days) were found in her purse.

Logan was arrested and taken to her room at the Wentworth Hotel, where it was ascertained that one of her suitcases contained 5.71 kg cannabis resin under false lids, whilst the second case had been gutted, leaving only traces. It emerged that Shore had actually removed the drug and taken it away in a shoulder bag. He had, of

Steven Franklin Shore (1991)

4eoi?r' ■fw'6-'"'

DOS

course, been observed, but had been rightly allowed to proceed when not seen in possession of a suitcase. No one has X-ray eyes and there are instant, operational decisions which must be made daily during drug operations. Lo­gan made full admissions to the importation of the two cases of cannabis resin, but denied owner­ship of the hashish and cocaine found in her purse, for which she implicated Shore.

Meanwhile, Shore's room was still being searched by then Senior In­vestigator Brian Bennett and then Investigator Kenneth Meredith (both later to be detective sergeants in Eastern Region) and others. A hashish slab of 26.5 g was located in Shore's coat, followed by the seizure of two bags of Australian currency totalling $28,556. It was then that Shore offered Bennett the drug and cash as a bribe, saying, "Take the money, take the hash and let me walk out of here". Shore was arrested.

A further search revealed an aerosol deodorant spray can (espe­cially designed for smuggling), which contained 1 g of cocaine, 17.6g of cannabis and a 59.5 g slab of hashish. This spray can, which was the first ever seizure of its type in this country, contained a small reservoir of deodorant, allow­ing it to actually spray, if tested. The can also contained one US$100 note (intended as a bribe if arrested in Asia).

Whilst Shore was being inter­viewed at Customs House, the

operation proceeded, with the ar­rest of Edward John Lucas at St Ives. Lucas, a Briton, was found in possession of 1 kg of the same Pa­kistani hashish and was charged by Frank Davies, later an AFP Detec­tive Sergeant.

In an unsigned record of inter­view, Shore admitted to Bennett and Meredith that he had been propositioned by an 'English Roger' at Bombay, to recruit couri­ers for this run. He had later removed Marlowe's hashish and sold it to a local contact for $17,000 at Kings Cross; likewise the con­tents of one of Logan's cases yielded $11,556. He had been awaiting contact from 'English Roger' when arrested. He admitted recruiting Marlowe, Logan, Geissel and Damillio, plus a Briton named Lynda Rae Cox (whom he wrongly believed that we had already ar­rested).

Cox was met upon her arrival at Sydney Airport from New Delhi, a search yielding 11.27 kg of canna­bis resin in her two suitcases. Of all the couriers, Cox was the only one who attempted to shield Shore, describing her recruiter as an Aus­tralian named Geoffrey. Her description of this man however, resembled Shore, even down to the cocaine and hashish he kept in a silver antique snuffbox. She was also charged, this time by Investi­gator Douglas Cogill, now a detective sergeant with the AFP's Southern Region.

The operation continued ('limped' might be the better term) into its

third day, with the arrest of Johanna Gezina Bonell, a Dutch woman, at Paddington on 12 Au­gust 1974, by Senior Investigator Phillip Lawrence, now an AFP su­perintendent in Eastern Region. She was charged over possession and importation of small quantities of cocaine, LSD 'window panes' and $15,(XX) in Australian currency. She had possession of two gutted suit­cases containing only traces of hashish.

Meanwhile, the members covering Noah's Hotel at Rose Bay had been wringing their hands over missing the action uptown. Their moment came with the arrival of two men, a British courier named Peter James O'Connor and an Australian local named Allan John Luxton. O'Connor had about 3.5 kg canna­bis resin left in his suitcase and Luxton had small quantities of cannabis, cannabis resin and lyser­gic acid 'microdots'. Those arrests were made by Senior Investigator Denis Gray (now AFP Superin­tendent, Bangkok) and others.

Maria Anne Hisshion, an Aus­tralian, was also arrested for LSD by Investigator Terrence Grace (later a staff member in Canberra). Hisshion was murdered by a .32 gunshot at Sydney on 25 December 1975, an unsolved, but drug related killing. Others, including Mr W, an Englishman, and suspected over­seas principal and Mr M, an Australian receiver, were ques­tioned but released.On 14 August 1974, the fourth

day of the operation (and for most involved, the fourth day without sleep), the original target Michael Suttie was arrested upon his arrival at Sydney Airport from India. There was no point in letting him 'run' under surveillance, as all known suspects had already been arrested, and in any case, every member was at the point of col­lapse. The hapless Suttie immediately 'fessed up' about the two suitcases of hashish he was carrying and was then charged.

Lucas and Hisshion were fined, all other offenders were jailed ex­cept those who absconded their bail, namely Shore, Logan, Cox and Bonell. This remains an indictment of the courts' views on bail in those days. Bonell was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, ex- parte and remains wanted on Commitment Warrant. Excellent

cSZaaif

Brian Bennett. Jeffrey Senrls. John Stafford and Mark Taylor, at the Headquarters oj the United States Marshals Service in San Francisco, IS March 1991.

work by Investigator Raymond Ingram (now a staff member at Eastern Region) led to Cox being traced to the United Kingdom, where she was arrested in pos­session of cannabis in 1975; however, she was not extradited on cost grounds. Logan and Shore remained wanted on war­rants, all our inquiries being directed towards Shore's old stamping grounds of India, Paki­stan, Afghanistan and Nepal.

It had been a good bust, not the largest in terms of seizures, but middling. In excess of 46 kg of cannabis resin, plus quantities of cocaine, cannabis, LSD and about A$44,l)l)0 cash were seized over four days. What made it unique was the number of couriers ar­rested (eight all told), plus Shore, a courier controller, plus the local offenders, Lucas, Luxton and Hisshion. Much intelligence was gained, leading to further arrests in India and the UK. Inquiries into the group continued with Operations 'Sherry', 'Alaska' and 'Vacuum'. It was noted that after their failure in Operation 'Trum­pet', they changed their modus operandi to single larger impor­tations of block hashish using motor vehicle concealment and, when that was broken, to bulk hash oil carried in typewriter cases and the like.

In 1982, the AFP was advised by the US Pennsylvania State Police that Shore had surfaced. Detective Sergeant Brian Bennett immedi­ately organised an extradition hearing at Sydney and the extra­dition was approved by the Commissioner and the Attorney- General.

By the time the Provisional Warrant was issued in the USA, Shore had again 'gone into smoke'. For a while he was hunted by the DEA and later by the FBI, but each time the leads petered out.

Then, in a change of policy in 1986, all fugitive files were passed to the US Marshals Service. It was the beginning of the end for Steven Shore when his file hit the desk of the renowned fugitive hunter, Inspector John Stafford of their Northern California Office at San Francisco. Inspector Stafford chased Shore for three years, us­ing informants, telephone intercepts and helicopters.

His tenacity paid off on 17 No­vember 1990, when his team, including Deputy Marshals Jeffrey Searls and Bernard Cummins, ar­rested Steven Shore at San Sal mo, California. Shore was using false identification in the name of James Basehore and was found in possession of US$5000 cash and a small quantity of suspected can­nabis.After the usual hearings and

surrender order, Steven Shore was escorted from San Francisco to Los Angeles by his US arrest­ing officer, Deputy Searls, together with Detective Sergeant Brian Bennett and Constable Mark Taylor of Eastern Region (unfortunately Detective Sergeant Meredith had just retired). At Los Angeles he was officially handed over to the AFP escort on 18 March 1991, and then flown to Sydney where, upon arrival on 20 March 1991, he was charged by Bennett with nine First Instance Warrants covering 'conspiracy', 'import', 'possession' and 'offer bribe to Customs Officer' as well as five counts of 'knowingly con­cerned', all charges relating to Operation 'Trumpet' in 1974. Shore did not apply for bail this time.On 19 June 1991, he appeared at

Central Local Court, Sydney, and pleaded guilty to the 'conspiracy' and 'possession' charges, with the remaining seven charges stayed from the list.

The chapter closed on 20 Sep­tember 1991, when Shore was sentenced by the Sydney District court to six years' imprisonment for 'conspiracy' (the 'possession' charge was taken into account on a Schedule) with a non-parole period of three years from the date of his arrest in California. Judge Court indicated in his sen­tence that he had had some difficulty with the judgement, given that the court's view on drug offences had hardened con­siderably, as had actual punishments. He had, of course, to sentence Shore under punish­ments then in force in 1974: a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment plus a fine not ex­ceeding $4000.

The author would like to thank all concerned in the / 7 year soya of Steven Shore, especially those 34 living witnesses (two had died, many were retired) who gave fresh statements and all of whom were prepared to 'hat on'. Likewise Margaret Sproule of the A-G's Department. Canberra and All1 Liaison Officers Dennis Craft and Denis Faille of our Los Angeles Consulate Most of all I would like to thank Inspector John Stafford and his team of US Deputy Marshals for their tenacity and great police work.HR Harnett Detective Sergeant Seaports Liaison 11 nil Eastern Region

Barton College loses long-time worker

Mrs Irene Shelley (c) at her retirement function with Commander John Dan {Hand Commander Rod Leffers (r).

AT the retirement function for Mrs Irene Shelley at Barton College, a staff member said, "Irene

has always brought a little sun­shine into the hallways of the College and she will be sorely missed by us all."The recruits and course mem­

bers who have passed through the College over the past 12 years would have to agree. Irene retired as Housekeeper to Barton College on Friday 27 March and was treated to a send-off over a morning tea hosted by Com­mander Rod Leffers. Commander Leffers thanked Irene for her dedication to the smooth opera­tion of the College and wished her well in her retirement.Originally from Parramatta,

Irene came to Canberra in 1478 after a three-year stint in New

d&wec&b+tei-to Platypus 34

• Northern Region's review of 1991's activities contained a misprint on page 3, column I, line 18; the figure should read $344,205,75 not $34,205.75.

• On the lift-out calendar, the phone number for Philip Castle, Northern Region's Media Liai­son Officer, should read:(07) 368 5916.

Zealand. She started at Barton College in June 1980. She said, "I was originally employed as a temporary housemaid, but when the demand for courses increased I was made permanent." Origi­nally employed by the Commonwea 1th Accommodation and Catering Service she and many of her fellow workers were kept on when services to the col­lege were taken over by Advanced Food Services. Irene said she could write a book about all the pranks she has seen played at the college, especially around graduation time. "It was all in good fun," she said, but added that she has cleaned a lot of shaving cream off mirrors over the years. She said that she has enjoyed meeting course members from all over Australia and the South Pacific Region and was so inspired by one young man's de­scription of his home State that she travelled to Western Australia to see for herself. She has seen many changes at the College since 1980 but the friendliness and co-operation of the police staff have remained constant and made work a pleasure.

With seven grandchildren, Irene said that she will have a busy retirement, but plans to work in the garden of her Canberra home in the quieter moments.

AFPphotographer takes out national competition

AFP photographer, Col Ellis, attached to the Photographic Unit at Weston has won the 17th

Exhibition of Police Photography of Australasia and the South West Pacific Region.The exhibition was held in con­

junction with the Conference of Commissioners of Police in Bris­bane from 4-9 May.

Col won first place in the General category and was also placed overall competition winner for his photograph "Impending Storm", reproduced on the back cover of this issue.

"A great deal of dedication and planning went into capturing the shot," Col said.

"It took six months of watching weather reports and chasing im­pending electric storms in Queensland."The winning photograph was

taken near Rockhampton.Col used a Mamiya RB67 camera

with a 90mm lens and colour transparency film.