Nick McKenzie is one of Australias leading investigative journalists. He works for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald and occasionally reports for ABC TVs Four Corners program. He has won Australias highest journalism award, the Walkley, three times for his work exposing corruption and organised crime. His work has triggered several major inquiries, including Australias biggest bribery investigation. In his free time he surfs and reads.
Contents
Cast of characters
ACC (Australian Crime Commission): Australian Government national criminal intelligence agency
AFP (Australian Federal Police): Australias national law enforcement agency
AUSTRAC (Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre): Australias anti-money laundering regulator
Erkan Ayik: Hakan Ayiks brother
Hakan Hux Ayik: Comanchero and Triad associate, international traveller and police target
Bilal: wharf worker, Wissams second cousin by marriage
Harry Blackburn: former NSW police superintendent
Bruce Bullock: ACC Melbourne operations manager
Buds: former boxer and Comanchero enforcer
Comancheros: outlaw motorcycle club
Van Dang Tran: Vietnam Airlines pilot
Bob Debus: Minister for Home Affairs, responsible for the ACC (20072010)
Erkan Dogan: Hakan Ayiks nephew
Kelly Edmonds: runner for Hakan Ayik
Errol Gildea: president of the Hells Angels, Queensland
Mahmoud Mick Hawi: president of the Comancheros
Steve Hutchins: Labor senator for NSW and chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement
Gregory James: ACC acting general manager (Financial Crimes)
Lam family: Vietnamese crime family living in Sydney
Duncan Lam Sak Cheung: Sydney-based Asian underworld boss
John Lawler: ACC chief executive officer (2009 )
Joseph Mizza Micalizzi: Comanchero drug runner
Alastair Jock Milroy: ACC chief executive officer (20032009)
Mark Ferret Moroney: sergeant-at-arms for The Finks, an outlaw motorcycle club
NCA (National Crime Authority): predecessor to the ACC
Daux Ngakuru: Comanchero sergeant-at-arms
Andrew Lee: police undercover operative
Mike Purchas: ACC Sydney operations manager
Smiley: Sydney heroin trafficker
Hun To: nephew of Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia
Triads: Chinese criminal organisation
Ly Vi Hung: Sydney-based Asian underworld boss
Patrick Vikingsson: ACC senior criminal intelligence analyst
Dylan Welch: Sydney Morning Herald reporter
Wissam (Waz): junior bikie, second cousin by marriage to Bilal
Jason Wood: Liberal party MP and member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement
Steve Wu: Chinese businessman and triad
Yakuza: Japanese criminal organization
Wei Will Wong: Chinese national living in Sydney, close associate of Hakan Ayik
Authors Note
The Sting is based on one of the biggest organised crime probes in recent Australian history. The drug, cash and weapon busts described, along with the related political and media activities, are all based on real events. Where possible, peoples true identities have been used.
In the main, events follow the chronological order of the operations described in the book, save for some minor changes made only for ease of the reader. I have reconstructed the events depicted from in-depth research, although some parts of the story have been altered or fictionalised in order to respect Australian laws, including those that prohibit publishing law enforcement activities covered by the secrecy act.
The actions of the criminal figures are also inspired by real events and have been reconstructed by speaking to those who know them or are aware of their behaviour. However, some of their activities have also been altered or fictionalised.
The names and identities of five main characters have been altered to protect their welfare or for legal reasons: Wei Will Wong, Gregory James, Bilal, Andrew Nguyen and Steve Wu. The identities and activities of all informers have been altered for the same reasons.
The book is written from the evolving perspectives of each of the main characters, capturing that persons view, rather than my view, of events as they unfold.
While the subjective points of view of some of the characters can be disputed, there are few involved in the fight against organised crime that would dispute the core themes this book explores.
It is also important to note that an organsied crime probe needs many people to succeed; the activities of only a few of the key investigators are dealt with in this book, although the operations described relied on the dedicated work of dozens of policing officials from the Australian Crime Commission, Australian Federal Police and other federal and state agencies.
Prologue
July, 2011
I am always getting bloody jacked up, he swore under his breath as the flashing red and blue strobed behind him.
Glancing quickly at himself in the rear-view mirror, he wished hed shaved and got his teeth done as his wife was always asking. His eyes were bloodshot.
He eased out of the car. I look like a shitman, he thought. Maybe theres just a light out. I wish the boys would look after the car. Fuckin jacks.
Chatter from the pub floated through the lane. A lady shrieked, followed by the roar of male voices and clapping.
Footy. At least I can down a fuckin pint when theyre done. He forced a smile, cleared his throat and turned to the approaching men. What the fuck? Theyre not
Diving back into his car, he thrust his arm under the seat, his hand clawing a bottle, then a T-shirt, desperately hoping to land on metal. He felt the hands strike him, his head ground into the seat and something cold touching the back of his neck. His right hand, the one looking for his own piece, was now shaking.
Calm down, Smiley, one of the men said.
That voice, he thought, its that fuckin nut job Comanchero with the tattoo that said something about how hed rather be carried by six than judged by twelve.
They walked him towards their car, the flashing police light still visible depite his head being held down by an ugly hand.
You want to see the wife and kids again, you better not fuck around.
Another roar erupted from the pub as he stared at the bluestone rocks moving beneath him, roughly hewn and ancient. I wonder if convicts laid those cobblestones? he thought, and then cursed for having such a stupid idea. I should have listened to the whispers. Theyll want all of my share of the smack, all seventy kilos.
He was pushed roughly into the car and the passengers side door slammed shut. The sounds from the pub became faint. His gut constricted and his legs twitched with nervous energy.
I wanna call my wife. Tell her Im gonna be out for a bit.
He turned to the man next to him holding the piece. He hadnt said a word yet. He was grinning.
Shhhhhhhh, he said, a finger to his lips. You aint calling nobody.
Part 1
December 2006 June 2007
Mike Purchas
Mike Purchas felt the cool morning air dry the sweat running down his forehead as he pounded up the hill. Children were already out tossing balls. He ran past a father struggling to order his children into the back of a car and nodded a greeting.
