Supreme Court restrains and freezes more than a million dollars in cash, cars and cryptocurrency related to Ironside accused

A series of people accused of crimes allegedly uncovered by Operation Ironside have had millions of dollars in funds and luxury items frozen.

Luxury cars, expensive wines, cryptocurrency and more than $1m in cash linked to people arrested as part of Operation Ironside have been frozen by the Supreme Court.

Justice Greg Parker on Friday heard applications from the Director of Public Prosecutions to freeze or restrain assets of numerous people, some of whom police allege are key organised crime figures.

The Supreme Court has started listing criminal asset seizures related to Operation Ironside in one long hearing once a week.

Six of the 10 who appeared on Friday have had their identities suppressed by the court to protect the integrity of any further trials.

Apostle Broikos, 18 – the youngest person arrested as part of Operation Ironside – had cryptocurrency and cash in bank accounts frozen by order of the court.

Justice Parker heard the funds had been under Mr Broikos’ direct control while another undisclosed amount of cash had been seized from his bedroom.

Mr Broikos, of Burnside, is accused of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug at Yamba and manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug at Morphett Vale.

Apostle Broikos outside the Adelaide Magistrates court. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Under the Criminal Assets Confiscation Act, the court must make a restraining order on property, cash or other assets if requested by the DPP and the subject has been charged, is going to be charged or is suspected of a serious crime.

The confiscation requires the accused to have had “effective control” over the property. Interested parties can apply for exemptions from the orders and if the accused is found not guilty of the charges, the assets are unfrozen.

Another accused – Dalibor Drazetic, 47 – had frozen $158,000 in an account linked to a company in his name.

He also had $2832 in a TAB account frozen, as well as a luxury watch and collection of firearms restrained by police.

Mr Drazetic is accused of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug at Port Wakefield.

Among the vehicles restrained from the accused were a Porsche, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen Amarok and a Harley Davidson motorbike.

Questions were raised about a diamond studded silver Rolex found at the workplace of one of the men but the matter was adjourned for more information on whether it could be said to be in the effective control of the accused.

A diamon studded Rolex, similar to that pictured, was among the items which the DPP requested be restrained on Friday. Picture: Supplied

One of the accused had $800,000 in an account frozen, while another had $153,000 restrained.

A total of $9.65, which was found on one of the accused when he was arrested, was also frozen.

Justice Parker heard the DPP was applying to seize a $40,000 women’s watch in the house of one of the men.

“(His wife’s) taxable income was $30,000 last year, so the value of the watch was more than a year’s income,” the prosecutor said.

The watch, which is already in the possession of police, was restrained as the criminal proceedings continue.

Justice Parker was presented with a list of wine and alcohol seized from one of the accused.

“There is some nice stuff in there,” Justice Parker said.

The alcohol, along with cryptocurrency, jewellery, watches and a property in Victoria were all restrained.

A photo of George Katsambas taken in 2007.

The matters will return before the Supreme Court in the coming weeks for further orders.

In a separate hearing on Friday morning, NSW man George Katsambas, 48, asked the Adelaide Magistrates Court to grant him home-detention bail.

Mr Katsambas, from North Rocks in Sydney, was arrested on a warrant issued in SA in early June as part of the nationwide Operation Ironside arrests.

He was extradited to Adelaide to face federal charges of trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

On Friday, Michael Abbott QC told Magistrate John Wells there was little evidence linking his client to the charges he was facing.

Unlike other Ironside accused, the court heard Mr Katsambas did not have a phone with the encrypted AN0M app installed that led to the arrests.

Mr Wells adjourned the hearing so the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions could present more evidence to the court on the timeline leading up to Mr Katsambas’ arrest.