By Olivia Ireland
The son of former NSW Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski has been granted bail after facing court for his alleged role a multimillion-dollar dark web drug supply operation.
Mark Chikarovski, 37, was arrested at a Bondi Junction apartment and was taken to Waverley police station where he was charged with 31 offences on Thursday.
Mark Chikarovski was arrested at a Bondi Junction apartment on Thursday for allegedly supplying prohibited drugs on the dark web.Credit: NSW Police
In January, detectives from the State Crime Command’s cybercrime squad established Strike Force Cesta to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs across NSW using dark web marketplaces.
During the investigation, police identified a marketplace facilitating the supply of cocaine, methylamphetamine and MDMA in exchange for cryptocurrency.
Detectives and tactical officers executed search warrants at an apartment complex in Bondi Junction and a house in Vaucluse about 1.30pm on Thursday. Chikarovski was arrested at the Bondi Junction apartment and taken to Waverley police station.
During a search of the properties, police say they found prohibited drugs, computers, $30,000 in cash, about $269,000 worth of varying cryptocurrency and two Porsche SUVs.
Mark Chikarovski with Kerry Chikarovski.
These items were seized to undergo forensic examination.
Chikarovski was charged with 31 offences including supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and 16 counts of supplying a prohibited drug greater than indictable and less than a commercial quantity.
“At this stage we don’t anticipate any further arrests but there’ll certainly be a focus within the NSW Crime Commission on what assets that individual might have accumulated as a consequence of this conduct,” Detective Superintendent Matthew Craft said.
Police will allege in court that Chikarovski had received cryptocurrency in exchange for prohibited drugs on thousands of occasions since 2017.
Mark Chikarovski was arrested at a Bondi Junction apartment on Thursday for allegedly supplying prohibited drugs on the dark web.Credit: NSW Police
Chikarovski, of Vaucluse, appeared at court on Friday and was granted bail.
Chikarovski’s mother, Kerry, led the NSW Liberal Party from 1999 to 2002 and was the state’s first female opposition leader. She has been contacted for comment.
On her LinkedIn profile she founded consulting firm, Chikarovski and Associates, which provided government relations advice and government lobbying to a “broad spectrum of clients”.
She is also on the board for multiple organisations, including the NSW Women’s Rugby Union, Road Safety Education and NSW Waratahs.
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