Two men charged and drugs, guns and cars linked to CFMEU seized as police investigate alleged corruption
Police arrest five men and search six properties including the union’s Victorian headquarters Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Two men have been charged and Victorian police have seized drugs, guns and cars linked to the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) as part of an investigation into alleged corruption in the building industry. On Monday, detectives from Taskforce Hawk arrested five men and searched six properties including the Victorian headquarters of the union, saying they were investigating secret commissions, fraud and drug trafficking. Police said four CFMEU registered vehicles were seized, as well as 10 mobile phones, a Schedule 4 poison, .22 rifle and ammunition, laptops, documents, iPads and a number of USB storage devices. No arrests were made at CFMEU headquarters, police said, and administrators for the union said none of its officials had been charged. He was bailed to appear at Latrobe Valley magistrates court on 11 January.
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The other men were released pending further inquiries. “The investigation in relation to the alleged secret commissions remains ongoing,” police said in a statement. “A secret commission refers to corruptly giving, receiving or soliciting an undisclosed financial benefit, reward, payment or kickback.” Operation Hawk was established in July 2024 to target criminal behaviour linked to the construction industry, and transitioned to Taskforce Hawk the following year.
