Italian Mafia Alive and Well in Australia
A member of the ‘Ndrangheta, or the Calabrian mafia, testified in an Italian court that members of the organised crime syndicate have been sent to Australia for many years to establish and operate highly lucrative drug and weapons trafficking cells....
Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad to Shut Down as Police Target “Silent Crimes”
The NSW Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) was established in April 2006 in the wake of the December 2005 Cronulla Riots, which was the culmination of rising tensions between the Lebanese and Anglo-Australian communities. The predecessor of the MEOCS...
Sydney Lawyer Accused of Insurance Fraud
Marcel Joukhador was admitted as a NSW lawyer on 14th July 2000. He was later employed for several years as a solicitor with Thomas Booler Lawyers. On 4th March 2010 while still employed at the firm, Mr Joukhdor was formally...
The Law Treats De Facto Partners Differently to Married Couples
It is frequently claimed by opponents of same-sex marriage that homosexual couples already enjoy the same legal rights as those who are married. But that is not actually the case - there are a range of laws which clearly distinguish...
New Laws to Protect Against Illegal Exploitation of Workers
The Victorian government is set to introduce new laws to crack down on the exploitation of workers – especially those on working holiday visas – by labour hire syndicates and businesses such as farms who hire from them. As part...
Banks Accused of Facilitating Money Laundering
Australia’s big four banks have been allowing organised crime groups to launder up to $5 million a day, according to federal and state policing agencies. Money laundering occurs when funds obtained through illegal activities such as drug trafficking is channelled...
Police Name and Shame Child Suspects on Facebook
Northern Territory police recently published the photographs and names of two boys aged 11 and 14 on their official Facebook page, advising followers that the boys are “wanted for questioning in relation to recent unlawful entries” and calling for information...
Incorrect Identification Leads to Wrongful Conviction
A recent case in Western Australia has highlighted the consequences for innocent people of police incorrectly identifying suspects. The case involved a 24-year-old Indigenous man who was arrested thirteen years ago and charged with causing grievous bodily harm. Police mistakenly...
The Link Between Exposure to Lead and Crime
New research is attempting to piece together the complex relationship between environmentally induced chemical changes in the brain as a child and anti-social conduct as an adult, especially impulsive, violent crime. Adding to previous research, a recent peer-reviewed study published...
“Face of Greed” Stands Trial in the US
The fraud conviction of price-gauging pharmaceutical entrepreneur Martin Shkreli (pictured) has raised concerns that he may not have received a fair trial from an impartial jury, after hundreds of potential jurors were dismissed for perceived bias during the selection process....
