Joint media release - Australian Customs, Australian Federal Police, Australian Crime Commission and Department of Immigration and Citizenship 

A 24-year-old Acacia Gardens man faced Parramatta Local Court today charged with dishonestly obtaining and dealing in personal financial information without consent following a two year investigation.
 
The Brisbane Identity Security Strike Team (ISST) commenced Operation Narwee in August 2007, acting on advice from the Australian Crime Commission.  The investigation has identified more than $2.2 million in funds which were alleged to have been fraudulently obtained between July 2007 and October 2007 and led to the arrest of six people.
 
The AFP Brisbane ISST executed a search warrant at a residential address in Acacia Gardens, NSW in December 2007 where documents were seized.
 
It was alleged in court that the man, who was a bank employee, obtained personal information including birth dates, address details, account numbers, account balances and credit limits from bank customers and used the information without consent.
 
The Brisbane ISST is a multi-agency taskforce comprising members of the AFP and other agencies including the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Australian Crime Commission and the Australian Customs Service. The ISST operates as part of a larger national ISST network with teams located in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
 
The ISST teams investigate serious and complex identity security matters forming a collaborative network among law enforcement agencies to effectively deal with this crime.

The man was charged with four counts of dishonestly obtaining and dealing in personal financial information held, belonging to another, without consent under Section 480.4 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995.

He is due to reappear in Parramatta Local Court on 10 February 2009.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years imprisonment and/or a $110,000 fine.

Media enquiries:
AFP National Media   (02) 6275 7100
DIAC Media   (02) 6264 2244
ACC Communications  (02) 6243 6648
Customs Media    (02) 6275 6793