Tracking devices are a growing enabler of serious and organised crime in NSW. Accessible, inexpensive, and easily concealed – they are used by organised crime networks to monitor, locate, and ultimately attack their rivals. 

An initial review of joint operations between the Commission and partner agencies identified frequent and increasing use of tracking devices to facilitate murders, public place shootings, kidnappings, violent drug thefts, and drug trafficking, and tracking devices are extensively being used by high risk domestic and family violence offenders. 

By matching sales data against criminal histories and intelligence records, Project Hakea identified that:

• 37% of customers who had purchased tracking devices were adversely known to police
• 25% of customers had a history of domestic and family violence
• 15% had a history of serious and organised crime
•  9% of customers had a history of both domestic and family violence and serious and organised crime.

In addition to the extensive use of tracking devices by organised criminals, their widespread use by domestic and family violence offenders creates an urgent need to address the issue.