Sydney police raids on south-west properties net $7million of luxury goods in crackdown on ‘unexplained’ wealth

Several properties have been raided by police in Sydney’s southwest as part of an investigation into “unexplained wealth” – with flashy cars, luxury jewelry and a pile of cash among the glitzy items.

The searches were carried out by the Organized Crime Squad following the introduction of new laws passed earlier this year which make it easier for police to reclaim assets reasonably suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

The laws came after a joint effort by the NSW Crime Commission and police that makes an individual responsible for proving how they purchased a house, car or other property in a bid to quell Sydney’s ongoing gang war .

Police do not need to charge suspects with a specific offense to seize property or freeze other assets.

More than $7 million worth of property, luxury cars, gold bars and high-end handbags were seized during searches Thursday.

Abbas Daneshyar was the first victim of the new laws with his four properties, a million-dollar Lamborghini, a selection of gold bars and designer jewelry seized on Thursday.

Abbas Daneshyar was the first victim of these new laws: the NSW Police Raptor Squad seized his four properties, a million-dollar Lamborghini, a selection of gold bars and designer jewelry in the mid-afternoon period. noon.

He is expected to face a civil action brought by the NSW Crime Commission in the Supreme Court over more than $9 million in assets and items he owns, which they say should be beyond the means of his income, he said. Today’s telegraph reported.

Mr Daneshyar has not been charged with any criminal offense and Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting he is involved in organized crime.

Several vehicles, including a 2018 McLaren MA3 coupe worth $380,000, and more than $20,000 in cash were seized from a Bankstown warehouse.

Three men at the scene were searched but were not charged with any offence.

Several vehicles, including a 1971 Mazda RX2, and more than $20,000 in cash were seized in Bankstown (pictured)

In Yagoona, police located and seized a crate of gold bars worth an estimated $80,000 (pictured)

A 2021 Lamborghini Aventador was seized around 5:30 p.m. at another address in Drummoyne, along with a number of electronic devices and documents which were taken for further forensic examination.

Other searches included a property in Padstow where other luxury goods were seized – including 14 luxury handbags from Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, five luxury ‘men’s bags’, Cartier jewellery, $10,000 in cash and four luxury watches from Rolex, Breitling and Cartier.

In Yagoona, police located and seized a crate of gold bars with an estimated value of $80,000.

“Having these new powers and working closely with the NSWCC gives us additional capabilities to target those who assist or facilitate the hiding of unexplained wealth,” said Detective Superintendent Peter Faux, Commander of the Organized Crime Squad.

At a property in Padstow, police seized more than a dozen luxury handbags from brands including Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, as well as several designer ‘men’s bags’ and high-end watches .

“Those at the top of organized crime networks follow the money,” said Detective Superintendent Peter Faux (pictured, luxury watches seized).

“We know that those at the top of organized crime networks follow the money, so having enhanced powers to target that money means we are able to reach those at the very top.”

“Big players tend to enjoy wealth while keeping their heads down and their hands clean, but we now have the power to take them to court to show us how they made their money – which many of them do. They will have a hard time.” he said.

The new powers allow police to seize property without a specific offence, NSWCC executive director Darren Bennett added.

“The next step is the civil court, where the owner of these assets is required to demonstrate that the assets were acquired through legal income,” Mr Bennett said.

A 2021 BMW S1000R motorcycle was among vehicles seized from a Bankstown property (pictured)

The new powers allow police to seize property without a specific offense before being taken to a civil court, where the owner of that property is required to prove that the property was acquired through legal income (pictured, police carrying out search warrants on Thursday)

“If they cannot do this, the assets will ultimately be returned to the people of New South Wales.”

“The NSW Government has recently strengthened the Crime Commission’s capabilities in this area, and this work is just the start of many more unexplained wealth investigations to come,” he said. added.

Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.