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Five charged over huge NSW salmon heist

Five employees at a southwest Sydney fishery have been charged after allegedly falsely downgrading $4 million worth of premium-quality salmon as waste, and then stealing the haul for sale elsewhere.

NSW Police allege the quintet falsely downgraded an average of 600kg in salmon each day as waste, then removed the fish from the plant and privately sold it.

About 250 tonnes of salmon was allegedly swindled from the Ingleburn plant between June and December 2020.

One of the bosses from the plant contacted police in December in relation to “possible coordinated criminal conduct of employees”.

Detectives from Campbelltown City Police Area Command were told the company had conducted an internal audit, which revealed a significant reduction in the output of product through their processing plant at Ingleburn.

It was determined that on average, about 600kg of salmon product was unaccounted for each day.

On December 20, two women aged 30 and 31, were hit with theft offences, followed by three men aged on December 23.

Following further investigation, detectives visited the plant three days later and arrested two men aged 32 and 49. A third man was arrested at Sydney airport on a Perth flight the same day.

Two of the men were bailed to appear in Campbelltown Local Court on Monday, while the other three people will appear in court in February.

All five have been fired by the salmon plant.

-with AAP

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