Communications and Media Unit T 02 6243 6843 M 0409 603 637
E media@crimecommission.gov.au W www.crimecommission.gov.au
15 October 2009
Joint taskforce targets sentenced to imprisonment for money
laundering and narcotics trafficking
Three targets of the joint Task Force Gordian were today sentenced in the County Court of Victoria
for imprisonment of up to 10 years for money laundering and trafficking narcotics. The taskforce
involved the Australian Crime Commission (ACC), Australian Federal Police, AUSTRAC, Australian
Taxation Office, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Victoria Police, New South
Wales Police Force and the New South Wales Crime Commission.
Mr Terry Xin Liang was charged and pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin and dimethylamphetamine
(ice) and laundering over $4 million. Mr Liang was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with a non-
parole period of seven years.
Ms Thi Kim Hong Tran was charged and pleaded guilty to laundering and structuring over $9
million, and was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment with a non-parole period of two
and a half years.
Ms Kim Phuong Tran was charged and pleaded guilty to money laundering over $5.5 million, and
was sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment with a non-parole period of five years. This
sentencing was greatly assisted by valuable AUSTRAC intelligence.
Acting ACC Chief Executive Officer Mr Michael Outram said that today’s sentence demonstrated
what can be achieved when different agencies combine their expertise and resources to detect,
target and monitor criminal money flows and business structures.
“Task Force Gordian has been disrupting the facilitators of money laundering and tax fraud, and
investigating a number of money transfer and remittance businesses operating in Melbourne and
Sydney.
“Approximately $93 million has been laundered using four money remittance businesses to deposit
and transfer large sums of cash overseas. Today’s sentence is another significant win in disrupting
the organised criminal networks involved in this illegal activity,” Mr Outram said.
AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer Mr John Schmidt said that protecting Australia’s financial
system from misuse requires the continued collaboration of government agencies.
“Task Force Gordian is a prime example of the benefits which can flow from such interagency
collaboration,” Mr Schmidt said.
Task Force Gordian was established from May 2005 to June 2007, to investigate the key structures
and networks used by organised crime to finance criminal enterprises, launder the proceeds of
crime and evade tax. It sought to disrupt these established criminal networks by targeting
accountants, money remitters and the financial service providers who assist them to commit
criminal offences. As a result of the Task Force, 16 criminal syndicates have been disrupted and 73
persons charged with money laundering and serious drug offences, including seven principal
targets conspiring to launder $93 million.
NEWS 
