How Can a Criminal Lawyer Defend Your Case in a Money Laundering Offense
The money laundering surveillance has tightened in New South Wales and across Australia following the report “Changes in Money Laundering Activities.” It was published by NSW Crime Commission and details how illegal transfers of international funds are thriving in various parts of NSW.
But money laundering charges have already been strict in New South Wales and Australia. If you’re charged with such charges, you must seek immediate legal help by hiring an experienced criminal lawyer from reputed websites like https://criminal-lawyer.com.au/
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Money Laundering Charges in NSW
By definition, money laundering is the act of concealing the origins of money. Alternatively, it is defined as making ‘dirty’ money clean by not disclosing the source. But there are other ways money can be laundered. If you conceal who actually owns the money or the real recipient of the money, then it’ll be labeled as money laundering as well
The penalties depend on whether you carried out the money laundering act with or without knowledge. As per the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), a person who deals with crime proceeds knowing what it is can face up to 20 years of imprisonment. The same imprisonment length is applicable if you try to conceal that it’s a crime.
But if you are reckless about whether or not it’s a crime, then the court may sentence you up to 10 years in prison. Similarly, the value of the property used for money laundering also determines the penalty you’re likely to receive. If it’s worth more than $5,000, then you can face up to $11,000 in charges and two years imprisonment. If it’s more than $100,000, then you can face up to 5 years of imprisonment.
What To Do When Faced with Money Laundering Charges?
Money laundering is a serious offense in New South Wales. But the law also allows you to defend yourself in court proceedings legally. For this, you need to hire a criminal lawyer who has expertise in dealing with such matters.
You can challenge the procedures that were followed leading up to arrest and prosecution. For example, authorities have to ensure that the money belonged to you and not to someone else. They also have to prove that the accused, which is you, dealt with the property. Furthermore, there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the property was the proceeds of the crime.
Also, you can see how the value of the property was calculated. You can point to the lapses in the procedures to prove that you were wrongly prosecuted. Depending on the flaws, the judge may reduce the imprisonment length or drop the charges altogether.
How Does a Criminal Lawyer Help?
A reputed defense lawyer will guide you through the process in the correct manner. Overturning a decision is not as easy as it sounds. You need to collect substantial evidence for challenging the charges. It’s recommended that you bring in a criminal lawyer as soon as the police officers detain you. This would give the lawyers sufficient time to go over your case.
