A Canadian man once at the helm of the notorious Sam Gor triad syndicate has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for conspiring to traffic commercial quantities of illicit drugs into Australia.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the sentence brought closure to one of the agency’s most significant and enduring operations. “This result showcases what the AFP does best – identifying and targeting criminal syndicates that cause significant harm to our communities,” she said. “Operation Volante is the culmination of 14 years of hard work and perseverance from our investigators and international network. This investigation highlights that the long arm of the AFP can reach criminals across the world.”
“The AFP will continue to supercharge our global operations to defend and protect Australia’s future from domestic and global security threats – including pursuing criminals who wrongly believe they are out of reach.”
The 62-year-old was handed the sentence in the Melbourne County Court on Thursday, with eligibility for parole after 10 years. He had earlier pleaded guilty on 7 November to conspiring to traffic commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs, an offence under the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
His conviction stems from Operation Volante, a major AFP investigation launched in 2012 to dismantle the Sam Gor network, which at its height was the largest supplier of methamphetamine to Australia.
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