One of Queensland’s largest illegal drug syndicates has come to an end with the sentencing of its ringleader to 13.5 years jail for trafficking in millions of dollars worth of methyl amphetamine.
Forty-four-year-old Todd Sean Filippa, who pleaded guilty on 31 January this year, today received the lengthy sentence after three weeks in the Brisbane Supreme Court contesting the Crown case as to the extent of his involvement in the criminal activity.
Filippa was declared a serious violent offender, and as such must serve 80 per cent of the sentence imposed. He has already served almost three years whilst on remand.
During the hearing, the prosecution argued that Filippa was the mastermind of the syndicate, which was uncovered through a joint operation by the Crime and Misconduct Commission, the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Crime Commission.
Filippa is the last of the group to be sentenced after the syndicate was shut down in December 2004 and drug-related charges were laid against 14 principal targets. The others in the group have since been sentenced to jail terms ranging from four to 11 years.
According to CMC Acting Operations Coordinator for Serious Crime, Detective Acting Inspector Mitch Castles, the joint operation dismantled a longstanding criminal network which had successfully evaded detection by law enforcement agencies for a number of years.
‘We have made a significant impact on drug trafficking in Queensland through a complex operation which combined investigative strategies, such as intelligence, overt and financial investigation, with covert methods and the CMC’s coercive hearings power.
‘Even during the investigation the drug syndicate showed its resilience when it continued its criminal activities despite several members being charged following the discovery of a significant amphetamine laboratory.
‘Now that these people are behind bars serving lengthy jail terms, we have put a stop to their illegal activities,’ Detective Acting Inspector Castles said.
Detective Superintendent Brian Wilkins from QPS State Crime Operations Command says this is an excellent example of law enforcement agencies working collaboratively and dismantling a major drug trafficking network.
‘The success of this operation would not have been possible without close cooperation between the three law enforcement agencies.’
Operation Alpha Submission Barrier was commenced following a CMC intelligence probe in July 2003 into the Fortitude Valley nightclub industry. Criminal activity around the vicinity of Filippa’s nightclubs, Scores and Rockafellas, was closely monitored and ultimately led to the joint crime investigation.
During the 18-month operation one of the state’s largest illicit drug laboratories was discovered on a 40-acre property near Miles in south-western Queensland. Large quantities of pseudoephedrine tablets were also found at several properties around the state.
In March 2005 the CMC discovered that Filippa was attempting to flee the country after arranging to purchase citizenship and setting up a bank account in Surinam, a South American country without an extradition treaty with Australia.
He was arrested and charged with making a false and misleading statement in the course of attempting to obtain an Australian passport, false representation, forgery and breach of bail conditions.
Today he was also convicted of these offences but with no further penalties.
Note: previous media releases have been issued about this crime operation and may assist with further background information. The media releases were issued on 8 December 2004, 1 June 2005, 9 December 2005 and 8 June 2007.
ENDS
