The Economic and Special Operations
The Economic and Special Operations function within the AFP is responsible for investigations aimed at the prevention, disruption and mitigation of a diverse range of criminal activities. As a member of the AFP, you may be involved in investigating Economic and Special Operations crime types such as:
- serious and complex fraud against the Commonwealth;
- identity crime;
- proceeds of crime;
- money laundering;
- terrorist financing;
- war crimes;
- environmental crime;
- bribery of foreign officials;
- corruption and unauthorised disclosures;
- electronic and high-tech crime;
- online child sexual exploitation; or
- organised and serious criminal infringement of intellectual property rights.
The Economic and Special Operations function is also involved in a number of joint government task forces including leading the investigative taskforce examining the findings of the Cole Royal Commission of Inquiry into the UN Oil-for-Food programme.
Economic and Special Operations also manage the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre, AFP surveillance policy including capability development and the policing of Australia’s external territories of Norfolk Island, the Indian Ocean Territories and Jervis Bay.
During 2006–07, the Economic and Special Operations function has increased the AFP focus on identity crime, major organised tax fraud and the use of financial intelligence to pursue investigations.
The Economic and Special Operations function has recently implemented tech-enabled crime initiatives focused at protecting Australian families on-line and contributing to security of Australia’s information infrastructure. The AFP has increased its emphasis on building international relationships in relation to online child sexual exploitation investigations through the Virtual Global Taskforce alliance.