Home Affairs Department: Australian Federal Police could take fight against terror, cyber crime and drugs offshore

MORE Australian Federal Police would be stationed offshore at key hot spots to tackle terror, cyber crime and drugs at its source, under enforcement plans being developed by government strategists.
Multiple senior police and federal government sources told The Daily Telegraph there is a push for the AFP to hit transnational crime at the source and tackle the flow of drugs, criminal cartels and terror networks upstream before it reaches Australia.
As the Home Affairs ­department is developed, questions are being asked about what Australian policing and intelligence agencies need to do strategically to get ahead.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently announced the sweeping new Home Affairs Department, along with new “call out” powers for the military. He’s pictured at Holsworthy Barracks with members of 2 Commando.
Discussions have included examining the AFP’s resources to make sure they hit the cartels offshore, before dangerous drugs reach our shores, while targeting terror networks overseas and other trans-national syndicates.
The AFP is understood to have firmly resisted any move to refocus its efforts, arguing it already has a significant portion of its personnel based offshore — and that taking a greater global focus would ­endanger officers’ lives.
The AFP also objected to the creation of Home Affairs, which was announced last week.
There is a push for the AFP to hit transnational crime at the source and tackle the flow of drugs, criminal cartels and terror networks.


There is no criticism of current AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin, but there are calls to return the AFP to its operational might under former Commissioner Mick Keelty.
AFP officers already target international cartels and drug smugglers.
During the 2000s the AFP followed the FBI model which operates “across the globe to protect the US from terrorism, espionage, cyber attacks and major criminal threats”.
But the rise of counter-terrorism derailed that model with the focus and new resources directed towards fighting local terrorist threats.
AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin. Picture: Kym Smith
Alliances have been forged between Chinese triads, eastern European crime gangs and bikies with the cashed-up groups now forming globalised supply chains, laundering money and drugs into Australia. Criminals have also started working with terrorists to crack Australia’s systems.
An increasing number of major NSW crime figures are also moving overseas to run their operations while escaping scrutiny of authorities.
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Turnbull Creates New Super Security Ministry to Tackle Terror. Credit - Malcolm Turnbull via Storyful
“Tough consorting laws and, also, just increased police pressure has seen quite a few guys move overseas,’’ a senior police source said.
“They come under a lot less scrutiny overseas.”
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s office has denied there’s plans to refocus the AFP.
Another police source said some crime figures were directing importations into Australia from new homes in Thailand, Bali, Dubai and Turkey.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s office has denied there were any plans to refocus the AFP to take a greater role in tackling offshore terrorism, drugs and crime.
Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/home-affairs-department-australian-federal-police-could-take-fight-against-terror-cyber-crime-and-drugs-offshore/news-story/8a663eeb698c7026194c7644c6132a76

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