Disgraced lawyer’s $250k bail surety for drug trafficking, dirty money charges

Brisbane lawyer Michael Bosscher is accused of involvement in trafficking more than 120kg of cocaine disguised as frozen chickens, and involvement in money laundering worth $4.5m.

Veteran Queensland criminal lawyer Michael Bosscher. Picture: Liam Kidston.

High-profile criminal lawyer Michael Bosscher has put up a $250,000 surety for his release from prison amid allegations of drug trafficking and dirty money.

Mr Bosscher applied for bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday related to a group of four charges including three counts of dealing with money suspected of being the proceeds of crime, and one count of aiding or abetting drug trafficking.

Mr Bosscher is accused of involvement in trafficking more than 120kg of cocaine disguised as frozen chickens in a van from Melbourne to Sydney.

The Australian Federal Police further allege that Mr Bosscher was involved in a money laundering syndicate responsible for laundering $4.5 million.

In court, Mr Bosscher’s lawyer Adam Guest, of Guest Lawyers, submitted proposed bail conditions for his client and also handed up two affidavits in support – one written by Mr Guest himself, and another written by family member Daniel Bosscher.

Commonwealth prosecutor Christine Wilson did not oppose the application, saying the draft order was based on a previous bail agreement Mr Bosscher had been subject to.

Mr Bosscher appeared via videolink from prison, wearing green prison-issued clothing.

He was granted bail with a long list of strict conditions.

Mr Bosscher has offered a $250,000 surety, he must reside at his five-bedroom home on North Stradbroke Island and report to Cleveland Police Station once per week.

He is forbidden from contacting any Crown witnesses, he cannot apply for a passport, he must only have one mobile phone and provide the phone’s details to police.

If requested, Mr Bosscher must give police officers his phone and provide them with any passwords or passcodes to access the phone or any applications, and he is prohibited from having any encrypting applications such as Wickr, Snapchat, Signal, or WhatsApp.

He cannot attempt to enter an international terminal without written permission, and he must not leave Queensland or the country without prior written approval.

Mr Bosscher spoke briefly to the magistrate when asked if he understood those conditions: “Yes, thank you, your Honour, I do.”

The case was adjourned to March 7 and remains in Brisbane Magistrates Court.