A 65-year-old woman was stopped at Perth Airport with nearly $200,000 in undeclared cash, sparking a wider investigation into her family’s suspicious wealth and property acquisitions.
The incident occurred in October 2023, when Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers were alerted to “irregularities” during a routine screening of the woman’s luggage. Upon further inspection, authorities discovered $191,850 in Australian currency hidden in her bags, alongside a small amount of Euros and other foreign denominations.
When questioned, the woman claimed the money was her personal savings and partially gifted by her son and daughter-in-law. However, she had failed to declare the cash—a legal requirement for any amount exceeding $10,000 entering or leaving Australia.
Following the seizure, the AFP’s Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) launched an investigation into the woman’s family. Authorities found that her son and daughter-in-law had acquired six properties in Western Australia worth a combined $4.5 million over the past six years. The couple also reportedly purchased a $2 million property in Gnangara, located in Perth’s northern suburbs.
Investigators alleged the couple’s declared income did not match their asset portfolio and spending habits. They are suspected of deliberately hiding earnings to reduce their tax liabilities.
On June 24, 2025, the taskforce filed an application with the Perth District Court to restrain multiple assets connected to the family. The application covers seven properties collectively valued at around $6.5 million, the seized airport cash, and a bank account containing approximately $236,000.
Under Commonwealth law, the AFP can seek to restrain assets even if no criminal charges have been filed. If successful, the properties and funds will be forfeited and their proceeds deposited into the Commonwealth Confiscated Assets Account (CAA).
