A 55-year-old Western Sydney primary school staffer with alleged links to an organised criminal network has been charged with providing a fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination certificate to her employer.
The woman was arrested at her home in Merrylands yesterday and taken to Granville Police Station, where she was charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, dealing with property proceeds of crime less than $100,000, and participating in a criminal group.
During a subsequent search of the woman’s home, Police seized cash, documentation and electronic items for further forensic examination.
Police say the woman’s arrest is the latest in a string of arrests related to fraud, drug supply and firearm offences being investigated as part of the NSW Police State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups Squad’s Strike Force Sugarcane.
Police say the Strike Force was set up last year to investigate the activities of a south-west Sydney-based organised criminal network.
“To date, 20 people have been charged by strike force detectives for various drug supply, firearm, fraud, proceeds of crime and direct or participate criminal group offences. All remain before the courts,” NSW Police said in a statement.
It will be alleged in court that the 55-year-old woman used a fraudulent document to verify her vaccination status with her employer in October last year.
The Merrylands West woman – who works as a school administrative manager – was refused bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court today.
