Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush today detailed a sweeping new strategy to combat organised crime, restructuring major investigative units into a centralised Organised Crime Command (OCC). In an exclusive interview with The Age, Mr Bush said the plan was designed to get "in front of the game" and target the bosses who order the crimes, rather than concentrating on individual offences after they are committed.
"We plan to take our investigations to another level. We need to get in front of the game. We can't continue to chase our tail," he said.
The command will be funded by a $150 million allocation from a broader $170 million anti-crime package. The original funding was announced in July under former Premier Jacinta Allan on her last day in office. The plan was briefly placed on hold when her successor, Ben Carroll, took office and launched a royal commission into Big Build corruption. Mr Carroll has since confirmed his support for the new police powers.
An additional $20 million has been provided to the Office of Public Prosecutions to accelerate trials and asset confiscation.
The OCC will absorb existing task forces targeting corruption in the construction industry, the illicit tobacco wars, and outlaw motorcycle gangs. It is projected to grow to 151 detectives and support experts. The strategy includes dedicated codebreakers to intercept encrypted messages, forensic accountants to follow money trails, and digital and cyber experts to infiltrate syndicate communication and investment systems. A new Intelligence Fusion Centre will provide real-time information to investigators, allowing them to predict where syndicates are likely to move next.
Mr Bush said organised crime syndicates are "peddling misery" throughout Victoria. He stated they are key drivers of serious and youth crime, fund terrorism, and recruit teenagers to carry out violent offences.
"They do not exist in their own bubble," he said. "They are prepared to peddle misery for the best financial return and don't care about the consequences."
The new command will target syndicate leaders, including those operating from overseas.
The strategy aims to "simultaneously deprive them of their liberty and assets" and will also focus on the professional enablers, including lawyers, financial experts, and real estate agents, who help syndicates launder and invest their profits.
"We need to know exactly which syndicates in Victoria are creating the most harm, then attack and dismantle those networks," Mr Bush said.