Shane Geoffrey May refused bail as court hears allegations of mysterious entry into Australia

An SA man wanted by the FBI and named in racketeering indictments as an international fugitive can be identified for the first time.

The alleged head of a multimillion-dollar national drug and money laundering syndicate who is wanted by the FBI can be identified for the first time after a suppression order was lifted this week.

Shane Geoffrey May, 47, was arrested south of Ardrossan in August this year but initially had his name suppressed.

Earlier this week Mr May, who faces 31 charges including laundering $5.2m in a single hit and directing the trafficking of large quantities of drugs, applied for bail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

He is yet to enter a plea to any charges.

The court heard Mr May has been indicted in the Southern District of California on racketeering and corrupt organisation charges for his role as a distributor of the encrypted AN0M app.

The FBI currently has a warrant out for his arrest and the court heard Mr May would likely be extradited to the US once his Australian matters are finalised.

During the bail hearing, the Adelaide Magistrates Court heard allegations that Mr May had fled Australia when 50kg of methamphetamine was seized at Port Wakefield on April 6, 2021.

Shane Geoffrey May allegedly fled Australia after the seizure of 50kg of methamphetamine from a truck in Port Wakefield. Picture: SA Police

A prosecutor said messages sent over AN0M in the days after the seizure showed a rising awareness that the syndicate Mr May was allegedly at the head of was under investigation.

“The Crown case is that Mr May, suspecting his own name might be on the list of suspects has decided to depart Australia via Indonesia,” a prosecutor said.

Magistrate John Wells asked how Mr May came back before the courts in South Australia.

“Your Honour, that is a very good question,” The prosecutor replied,

“Mr May’s immigration status is currently listed as off shore, he never returned via a known immigration point of entry.

“This speaks to a very sophisticated, resourceful and well connected individual capable of coming to this country unlawfully.”

Police were in the process of seeking Mr May’s extradition from Indonesia when they discovered he was living in James Well, a small community south of Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula.

Andrew Benz outside Adelaide Magistrates court. He is one of Shane Geoffrey May’s co-accused. Picture: David Mariuz

Jayson Adams was arrested as part of Operation Ironside and charged with drug trafficking and money laundering offences. He is one of Shane Geoffrey May’s co-accused. Picture: Facebook

“The circumstances of that are reasonably curious,” the prosecutor said.

“He was occupying a beach shack without the consent of the owner.

“Serious and organised crime branch detectives arranged for uniformed police to go to the shack.

“Mr May greeted them at the door and gave false personal details, a known alias of Michael Anderson.

“The uniformed police reported back to detectives and Mr May was arrested.”

In the shack were six mobile phones enabled to run Graphene, an operating system designed for Google Pixel phones which allows for encryption and hardened security.

Mr May was listed along with 16 other people as being distributors and facilitators of AN0M enabled devices in an unsealed indictment by the US Department of Justice.

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Dalibor Drazetic is seen leaving Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Jonathon Kingston-Mayne was arrested and charged as part of Operation Ironside. He is one of Shane Geoffrey May’s co-accused. Picture: Supplied

In a supporting affidavit for a warrant to search email accounts run by Google, an FBI Special Agent wrote that Mr May had been linked to Baris Tukel, a former Comanchero Sergeant at Arms.

In the messages reproduced in the affidavit, Mr May is accused of discussing the importation of kilograms of cocaine hidden in French diplomatic pouches.

Joseph Henderson, for Mr May, said his client was never found with an AN0M phone and the prosecution could not attribute any messages to him.

He also said his client would likely be in custody for several years awaiting trial.

Mr Wells refused the application for bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and the likelihood of Mr May absconding.