MORE THAN $300,000 CONFISCATED AFTER ALLEGED PAYMENT FOR COCAINE IMPORT

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 7 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: Editor's note: Image of the seized cash available via Hightail. An AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) investigation has resulted in the confiscation of more than $300,000 following an attempted drug importation into North Queensland. Today (7 August, 2026) the CACT obtained forfeiture orders in the District Court of Queensland regarding $290,000 in cash and accrued interest, totalling ab...


QUEENSLAND MAN JAILED FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION OFFENCES

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 7 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: Editors Note:Images of the arrest available via Hightail A Queensland man has been sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to 33 child exploitation offences, including grooming children, procuring children, transmitting child abuse material and possessing child abuse material. The Brisbane District Court yesterday (5 August, 2026) ordered the man, 59, serve a non-parole period of six years...


S&P GLOBAL REAFFIRMS AAA CREDIT RATING

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 6 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following media release: International ratings agency S&PGlobal has just re‑affirmed Australia's AAA credit rating. This is a powerful endorsement of the Government's responsible economic and fiscal management at a time of extreme global uncertainty. S&P says "Australia's fiscal performance is sound" and "Australia has modest public debt by international standards." S&P specifically calls out the Government's ambitious tax ...


NSW MAN SENTENCED OVER ONLINE THREATS TO FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARIAN

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 6 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: Editor's note: Arrest vision available via Hightail. A Bankstown man has been sentenced by Bankstown Local Court over online threats made towards a federal parliamentarian. On 27 November, 2025, the AFP's National Security Investigations (NSI) team received a referral from the parliamentarian's office regarding two emails they had received. These emails contained threats to kill the parliamentarian and t...


RENEWED REGISTRATION OF INTEREST FOR SURVIVORS AND BEREAVED NEXT OF KIN OF 2002 AND 2003 INDONESIAN TERROR ATTACKS

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 6 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: The AFP is renewing a Register of Interest for Australians affected by the 2002 Bali bombings and the 2003 J.W. Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta. More than 200 people, including 88 Australians, were killed when bombs were detonated in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali on the evening of 12 October, 2002. A further 12 people were killed and more than 150 were injured when a car b...


APPOINTMENT OF SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 6 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: I am pleased to announce the Governor-General has appointed Mr Simon Draper PSM as Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Mr Draper brings extensive public sector experience to the role, currently serving as Secretary of the New South Wales Premier's Department. Prior to this, Mr Draper held senior leadership positions including CEO of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, CEO of ...


VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 6 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency, Mr To Lam, on his visit to Australia from 9 to 12 August 2026. The leaders will meet for the first time in Canberra on Tuesday 11 August 2026 to discuss opportunities to deepen cooperation. Australia and Vietna...


SYDNEY MAN CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKING WIFE OUT OF AUSTRALIA

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 5 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: Editor's note: Arrest vision available via Hightail A Lakemba man has been charged today (5 August, 2026) with allegedly organising for his wife to leave Australia before submitting a withdrawal of her spousal visa application. An AFP investigation began in March, 2026, into a report regarding a woman, 23, who alleged her husband had trafficked her to Myanmar from Australia in December, 2025. The couple al...


MELBOURNE DRUG TRAFFICKERS USING ENCRYPTED CRIMINAL PLATFORM SENTENCED AS PART OF OPERATION KRAKEN

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 5 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: Two Melbourne men have been sentenced over their involvement in a drug trafficking ring linked to Italian organised crime. The AFP launched Operation Kraken-Kashyyyk in July, 2024, targeting members of Italian organised crime who were using Ghost, an encrypted communications platform designed specifically for criminal use. The platform has since been dismantled by international law enforcement. Investigator...


WESTERN SYDNEY MAN CHARGED FOR ALLEGEDLY IMPORTING NAZI-BRANDED WEAPONRY

CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 5 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force Editor's note: Vision and images of the seized items are available via Hightail. A St Marys man appeared before the NSW Bail Division Court yesterday (4 August, 2026) charged for allegedly importing items bearing Nazi symbols and allegedly making a Nazi salute in a public place. An AFP investigation began in Feb...