Two men accused of importing cocaine worth more than $61 million (US$41 million) into Queensland by sea will remain in custody. Matthieu Anthony Rees, 44, and Rachid Kachour, 55, both from Griffith in the ACT, were arrested at their Canberra apartment on Thursday as part of an investigation into a quarter-ton of cocaine seized from…

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has invited Chinese police to Australia for an enforcement cooperation meeting while confirming that it will end an agreement with China over human rights concerns. “At the invitation of the Australian Federal Police, from April 25 to 28, 2023, the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China…

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has confirmed it will not renew an agreement signed with China after international human rights groups allege it allowed Beijing to abuse human rights internationally. On May 25, AFP officials told the Senate that the agency would not renew its memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with China’s National Commission of…

The Greens have sought to publicly release a list of names of Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) employees allegedly involved in the tax advice scandal. But the finance committee on May 26 decided instead to refer the tabling of the document to Senate Clerk Richard Pye after concerns were raised it could jeopardise an Australian Federal Police…

Australian authorities remain unconcerned about Beijing’s overseas police stations on the country’s soil, while the United States and Canada are taking action. In late 2022, two Chinese police stations identified in Australia by the international human rights group Safeguard Defenders drew wide public concern. The stations, under the name of “service centres,” are among 102 Chinese…

PARIS—French international news agency Agence France-Presse says its Ukraine video coordinator was killed Tuesday during a rocket attack near the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Arman Soldin, 32, was with a team of AFP journalists traveling with Ukrainian soldiers when the group came under fire with Grad rockets, the agency said. The rest of the…

Commentary Turf warfare. It’s one of the most destructive and debilitating activities in any enterprise. Government is no exception. Indeed, the government may be the area where it is the most destructive and debilitating. The consequences are manifested in harm to the national interest. Myopic approaches, stove-piped considerations, protecting or desperately trying to increase your…

Police have smashed an organised Chinese-Australian crime syndicate and seized a record $150 million (US$107 million) of assets, including mansions, property, cash, cryptocurrency, designer handbags, and other luxury items. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) alleged the group, a global operation headquartered in Sydney, enabled multiple transnational organised crime groups to launder funds derived from criminal…

In addition to the one Chinese police station in Sydney that has drawn public concern recently, one more contact point linked to Beijing has been identified in Australia, according to a new report by the international human rights group Safeguard Defenders. The “service centre” is among 48 Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-operated illegal police outputs globally that have…

Drew Pavlou, an anti-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) activist and former Senate candidate, was allegedly ordered by Australian Federal Police (AFP) to leave Parliament House in Canberra or risk facing arrest. Pavlou, who is famous for his criticism of the CCP’s human rights atrocities and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, was due to meet Liberal Senator James…