A Colombian national studying in Australia orchestrated a sophisticated drug trafficking operation, using business cards branded with the comic book villain 'Thanos' and featuring QR codes to facilitate sales.
The 'Thanos' Operation and Initial Arrest
Daniel Alejandro Latriglia Salcedo, a 21-year-old student from Pascoe Vale in Melbourne's north, was in the country on a student visa when he turned to dealing illegal substances. His scheme came to light on October 18, when police pulled over his black Hyundai iX35 in Brighton East around midnight.
Officers immediately detected the smell of cannabis, prompting a search of the vehicle. This uncovered a stash of drugs including cannabis, ecstasy pills, amphetamine capsules, and LSD tabs. Police also seized about $2,000 in cash and the distinctive 'Thanos' business cards.
Salcedo later admitted that these cards were distributed to potential customers, who could scan the QR code to access drug price lists and place orders via the encrypted messaging service Telegram, a platform favoured by criminals.
A Second Raid and an 'Aladdin's Cave' of Drugs
After being arrested and bailed, Salcedo's legal troubles escalated dramatically. Just one day after his bail was extended on December 9, police executed a raid on his shared Pascoe Vale unit.
The raid revealed what was described as an 'Aladdin's cave' of illicit materials. Authorities found large quantities of cannabis in various forms, suspected cocaine and ketamine powders, MDMA pills, LSD strips, magic mushrooms, multiple electronic devices, over $4,000 in cash (including counterfeit notes), and more of the 'Thanos' cards.
This led to a fresh set of charges, including dealing with the proceeds of crime, knowingly possessing counterfeit money, and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Court Outcome and Immigration Status
Salcedo appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to a range of drug trafficking charges involving cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, ecstasy, and LSD.
Despite the seriousness of the offences, Magistrate Leon Fluxman sentenced him to a 14-month community corrections order, 75 hours of community work, and a $500 fine. The magistrate told Salcedo he was 'very lucky' not to receive a prison term, which would have been the expected outcome for such prolific trafficking.
The decision considered his lack of prior convictions and early guilty plea. His lawyers had argued that a jail sentence would trigger mandatory consideration for visa cancellation under the Migration Act. Salcedo walked free from court, and was later seen on William Street without intervention from immigration officials, despite the minister's discretionary power to cancel visas on character grounds.
In court, it was heard that Salcedo claimed to have developed a drug habit as a teenager in Colombia and relapsed in Australia due to personal isolation and a relationship breakdown. He stated he began buying in bulk and selling to friends to fund his own use and survive financially.
The 'Thanos' character, referenced on the business cards, is a near-invincible warlord from Marvel films and was also portrayed by former BigBang rapper T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) in the second season of the Netflix series Squid Game.
