Nine people accused of laundering millions of dollars and trafficking drugs between Sydney and Adelaide appear in court

Nine people have appeared in court charged over a multi-million-dollar drug syndicate allegedly controlling the flow of drugs between Sydney and Adelaide.

An alleged drug syndicate accused of laundering millions of dollars and trafficking large amounts of cannabis between Sydney and Adelaide have all faced court together for the first time.

The nine people accused of being part of the syndicate who face charges ranging from money laundering to multiple counts of trafficking in a controlled drug have now been joined on the same court file after being arrested at different times and in different locations.

Prosecutors have previously said that thousands of telephone intercepts, phone videos and security camera footage all played a part in the investigation.

The nine are accused of laundering as much as $20 million and trafficking in large quantities of methamphetamine and cannabis.

Police allege the syndicate started to come unstuck when a semi-trailer was stopped at Truro on September 4 last year.

Officers found $228,000 in the cab and 39kg of cannabis secreted in the side of the trailer.

Abdul Minaoui, 46, from Chester Hill, NSW who was driving the truck was arrested and charged with five counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and two counts of knowingly engage in money laundering.

Mr Minaoui’s brother Ezeddinn, 36, was arrested in Sydney and extradited to Adelaide where he was charged with same offences.

Police found 39kg of cannabis and $228,000 hidden in a truck stopped at Truro. Picture: SA Police

Elie Khoury, 34, from Wynn Vale, is accused of being the ring leader behind the syndicate.

During a bail application in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in April this year Mr Khoury was accused of laundering $4 million through a sports betting account at the rate of approximately $100,000 a week.

The court heard Mr Khoury was serving parole and was on home detention when he was arrested for the new drug charges on September 21.

The District Court froze a Waterloo Corner home linked to Mr Khoury as well as the semi trailer linked to the Minaoui brothers and several quantities of cash.

On October 15, police raided a Virginia property belonging to Peter John Stevens, 34, and his parents Michael, 55, and Stella, 57.

Three people were arrested and a number of firearms, vehicles and other property were seized by police during a search at a Virginia address today.Detectives from Serious Crime Taskforce. Picture: SA Police

A search conducted by STAR Group officers and Serious and Organised Crime Branch found 20 gel blasters, four illegal firearms, a jetski, three vehicles, drug paraphernalia, fireworks and $800 in cash.

Three people were arrested and a number of firearms, vehicles and other property were seized by police. Picture: SA Police.

Peter John Stevens was charged with the same offences as the Minaoui brothers and Mr Khoury.

His parents were charged with knowingly engaging in money laundering.

Additionally Martin Furdan, 40, and Katie Elain Ambaras, 27, both from Waterloo Corner were charged with trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

Senan Solaka, was charged with knowingly engaging in money laundering.

On Thursday, Nicole Khoury had ten counts of money laundering dropped by the prosecution.

Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton QC said lawyers for the various accused had been provided with “voluminous material” only days before the hearing.

The case was adjourned until December.

Adam Gaite, for Stella Stevens, told the court he would be making an application for no case submissions for his client.

That application was adjourned to the same date.