National Crime Authority bombing suspect Domenic Perre was at the centre of significant, ongoing drug syndicate, court told

NATIONAL Crime Authority bombing suspect Domenic Perre was at the centre of an ongoing, significant drug-trafficking operation dating back to November 2016, a court has heard.

Domenic Perre. Picture: Nine News.

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NATIONAL CRIME AUTHORITY bombing suspect Domenic Perre was at the centre of an ongoing, significant drug-trafficking operation dating back to November 2016, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, a court was told investigations into five charges already laid against Perre led to 13 new allegations — and the arrest of two more alleged co-conspirators.

It also heard that, prior to those arrests, Perre had decided to abandon his bid to have the original five charges thrown out, plead not guilty and acquiesce to standing trial.

Handcuffed and dressed in a blue jumpsuit, Perre listened from the dock as prosecutors told the Adelaide Magistrates Court the new developments would not slow progress of the case.

Emma Roper, prosecuting, said all defendants could be committed to stand trial before the end of the year.

“Most of the materials which caused these arrests had already been disclosed to defence counsel prior to yesterday,” she said.

“We will, of course, need some time for police to provide information about the searches (on Tuesday) and what was located, but a few weeks is enough for that to occur.”

Perre, 61, of Salisbury, remains the prime suspect in the unsolved 1994 NCA bombing that killed Western Australian Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen and injured several other people.

He was charged with murder but the charge was later dropped — a subsequent coronial inquest asserted he was most likely responsible for the bombing.

In June, he was charged with five drug trafficking and firearms offences over 13kg of dried cannabis, a pump-action shotgun and a self-loading rifle.

Those allegations related to a hidden growing room on a property at Chaffey, near Renmark in the Riverland.

Perre’s nephew Antonio, 27, and sister-in-law Rita, 52, were also charged while his brother Francesco, 56, pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentence.

Counsel for Perre repeatedly argued the case against their client was “weak” and should be thrown out.

On Tuesday, however, Perre — who is in custody — was arrested again over police raids in Adelaide’s north and northeast.

Officers seized an undisclosed quantity of cannabis and more than $200,000 in cash.

On Wednesday, Ms Roper said Vincenzo Sergei, 63, of Newton, Christopher Platt, 43, of Salisbury North, and Gregorio Pipicella, 37, of Prospect were now charged along with the Perres.

“Five of the counts are the same as those previously alleged, the remaining 13 are all fresh offences,” she said.

“Some of them date back to a period before the original allegations, as far as November 1 last year, while some are as recent as yesterday.”

She said Perre was at “the centre” of the “significant” operation.

“In Sergei’s case, for example, it is alleged he was one of the people from whom Domenic Perre sourced cannabis, and that this was an ongoing syndicate — not simply a one-off.”

James Noblett, for Domenic Perre, said his client was prepared to plead not guilty to the original five counts but asked for time to consider the new charges.

Magistrate Jayanthi McGrath remanded Domenic Perre and Platt in custody, and the remaining alleged conspirators on bail, to enter pleas to the charges in December.