Prominent lawyer Anthony Perre — son of NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre — charged after drug raid on bunker under home
PROMINENT northern suburbs lawyer Anthony Perre — the son of NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre — has been charged over the discovery of an elaborate underground drug bunker hidden at his home.
- UPDATE: Perre pleaded guilty to some charges on his first appearance
- Crucial new DNA evidence in 1994 National Crime Authority bombing
PROMINENT northern suburbs lawyer Anthony Perre — the son of NCA bombing suspect Domenic Perre — has been charged over the discovery of an elaborate underground drug-growing bunker hidden at his home.
He has also been charged with firearms offences — including possession of illegal armour-piercing military ammunition — and with stealing electricity.
The high-powered military ammunition was among a huge cache of 45,000 rounds police allege they found stored in a shed on his property at Curnow Rd, Waterloo Corner.
Perre has been charged with possessing drug-growing equipment, diverting electricity, possessing military ammunition and failing to comply with firearms regulations.
His wife, Emma Perre, 36, is jointly charged with the same offences.
Perre pleaded guilty to some of the charges on the matter’s first appearance in court on Friday.
The charges stem from a police raid on Perre’s property by Drug Investigation Branch detectives, after they received intelligence that indicated hydroponic cannabis was allegedly being cultivated there.
The charges come as Major Crime detectives continue their investigation into the 1994 National Crime Authority bombing that claimed the life of WA detective Geoffrey Bowen and severely injured lawyer Peter Wallis.
Last October, senior police revealed the inquiry, dubbed Operation Cornus, had been expanded after up to four suspects — besides Domenic Perre — had been identified. Investigations were concentrating on different roles individuals may have had in the deadly plot.
Senior police last night would not comment on the progress of Operation Cornus or any link to the charging of Anthony Perre, 36.
When detectives raided the Waterloo Corner address, they focused on a locked shed at the rear of the property. The shed was equipped with an alarm and video surveillance cameras, but contained little of value.
A secret trapdoor was discovered concealing an elaborate grow room. It contained a large quantity of plant nutrients and electrical equipment commonly used in hydroponic cultivation. The room also had a CCTV monitor that allowed the “screening’’ of anyone who entered the shed.
The grow room, about 10m by 6m with a 4m-high ceiling, contained an elaborate irrigation system, large carbon filters and several large plastic tubs of a type commonly used to grow cannabis plants.
After dismantling that equipment, detectives searched another shed and found a number of large locked boxes. They contained a huge cache of ammunition — more than 45,000 rounds, weighing 750kg.
The ammunition included military armour-piercing bullets, .50 calibre and .762 calibre rounds.
Detectives also seized 10 firearms, including rifles and handguns, which were registered and appropriately secured.
A search of the house revealed electricity had been diverted to power the underground bunker. The diversion was concealed in a wall cavity.
Perre and his wife will appear in Elizabeth Magistrates Court today to face the charges.
It is highly likely that if convicted, Perre, who owns Perre Legal at Salisbury, will face disciplinary action — including the possibility of being struck off — that would arise from an investigation by Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner Greg May.
Mr May has the power to investigate the behaviour of a lawyer’s work and non-work-related conduct under laws introduced following the Eugene McGee hit-run case, in which the prominent defence lawyer fatally struck cyclist Ian Humphrey with his car and then left the scene.
Under Section 14 of the Legal Practitioners Act, the Law Society has a statutory obligation to refer any alleged misconduct of a lawyer to the LPCC for investigation.
If the LPCC investigation recommends further action, the Supreme Court has the power to revoke a lawyer’s practising certificate. The Supreme Court can also suspend a lawyer’s licence before an LPCC investigation being concluded, if it is deemed necessary to protect the public.
Law Society president Tony Rossi last night said his organisation was unaware of the allegations until contacted by The Advertiser.
“They are currently allegations and it would be important to know what Mr Perre says about the allegations before reaching any conclusions,’’ he said.
“The allegations on their face are serious, particularly in relation to the suggestion that a legal practitioner would be involved in the production of illicit drugs.
“That would be obviously a matter of concern to the society, as would the allegation of armour-piercing bullets.
“The Legal Practitioners Act was recently amended so as to allow the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner to investigate matters of conduct not necessarily directly related to the practice of law.”