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Fed, Vic police raid Geelong businesses

Mystery surrounds joint federal and Victorian police raids on businesses in the Geelong CBD.

Federal police remain tight-lipped about why they raided a series of businesses in Geelong.

The raids centred on a business called Startup Cloud but it's not yet clear what Australian Federal Police, supported by Victoria Police, were looking for.

Witnesses including Startup Cloud owner Todd Hubers said police entered his business and others around Ryrie Street, in the heart of the Geelong CBD, on Wednesday morning.

"I was surprised to get that call. We didn't realise the enormity of the operation until we saw what was going on in the rest of Geelong," he told the Nine Network.

Startup Cloud allows companies to rent a desk rather than paying rental for an office.

Mr Hubers said he was not under investigation but would not say which business was the target of the raid on his premises.

Police could be seen carrying large plastic boxes from Startup Cloud but an Australian Federal Police spokesman would not say why the raids occurred.

"As this matter is currently ongoing, it is not appropriate to comment further," he said.

Local shopkeepers were surprised at the police activity, saying there had been no police presence in the past.

Hairdresser Blake Vredenbregt said more than 15 police officers rushed to the business in Ryrie Street at about 10am on Wednesday.

"It's a bit exciting, a bit different," he told AAP.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


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