News Service from House Harris

Vic:Three guilty to role in $93 mln laundering syndicate: court

MELBOURNE, Feb 23 AAP - Two siblings who worked at an electronic money transfer company have admitted using the business to help launder more than $90 million in cash between Australia and Asia.

Hang Thanh Huynh, 38, her brother Phat Ba Huynh, 35, and a third man, Tam Tran, 46, were part of an international syndicate which allegedly laundered $93 million.

Ms Huynh, once described by police as "one of the most significant money launderers in Australia" on Monday admitted she conspired with other members of the syndicate to deal with more than $1 million, which she believed was the proceeds of crime.

Mr Huynh and Tran pleaded guilty to receiving, possessing or disposing of more than $1 million, knowing it was the proceeds of crime.

Police have previously alleged the syndicate laundered money through electronic transfers between Melbourne, Sydney, Vietnam and other Asian countries.

The Huynhs, of Sunshine in Melbourne's west, worked at the Long Thanh Money Transfer in Footscray when the offences were committed, police told a previous court hearing.

The couple used that business and another in Sydney to transfer money for organised crime syndicates.

The exact amount of money the trio was involved with was not disclosed in court on Monday.

Other members of the syndicate used commercial airlines to smuggle the money out of Australia, it has been alleged.

The court heard Ms Huynh and Tran, of Earlwood in Sydney's southwest, were part of the syndicate between December 2005 and October 2006.

Mr Huynh was involved in the crime between May 2006 and October 2006.

The trio was bailed on strict conditions to appear in the Victorian County Court on Wednesday for a directions hearing.

Further details of their roles in the syndicate are expected to be revealed at a pre-sentence hearing later this year.

At a hearing in October 2006 after the Huynhs were arrested, police described Ms Huynh as being well connected within the Asian crime community and "one of the most significant money launderers in Australia".

Acting Detective Sergeant Bruce Bullock told that hearing $93 million was sent via electronic and physical means between December 2005 and October 2006.

"Huynh and other members of the enterprise were aware the majority of the cash delivered to their stores were the proceeds of crime," he said.

The trio was among nine people arrested during raids in Melbourne and Sydney by an Australian Crime Commission task force in 2006.