Michael Ibrahim: What NSW Police found in Vaucluse home raid
When Michael Ibrahim’s wife Caitlin Hall refused to open the door for police, they broke their way in, which led them to finding designer watches and handbags, many of which she claimed weren’t the real deal. Police recorded the raid, which was tendered in multiple court cases. WATCH THE VIDEO
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When police raided John Ibrahim’s house in 2017, they spent 10 hours turning his Eastern Suburbs mansion upside down looking for incriminating evidence.
The Kings Cross identity wasn’t charged, but police found several surprises in his house, like numerous safes, bags of white powder and that his house was a communal living arrangement.
It was the climax of an 18 month police investigation that led to about 20 arrests and the simultaneous raids of the homes belonging to John’s siblings, Michael, Fadi and Jazz Dior. Police recorded each of the raids, which were tendered in multiple court cases.
The videos shed unprecedented insight on one of Sydney’s most fascinating families.
The searches uncovered a hidden pinhole camera, a confession of a drug addiction and a questionable interior design choice in the form of a very large tap in the shape of a dolphin.
When police raided Michael Ibrahim’s Vaucluse rental property, they had to break the door to get inside.
Michael wasn’t at the home given he was being arrested in Dubai in a series of co-ordinated multinational raids.
However his wife, Caitlin Hall, was inside with the couple’s two small dogs. But she didn’t open the doors for police when they knocked shortly after 5.35am.
So the police got out their own version of a front door key and rammed their way through the front door.
Inside, they found Ms Hall and the couple’s dogs, according to the videos they made of the raid that were tendered in court.
The home was decked out with state-of-the-art CCTV technology so Michael could watch the street outside from the safety of his lounge, with the images projected to a screen sitting next to a giant curved TV.
Shortly after police stormed the house, Ms Hall was searched by a female officer and informed that her husband had been arrested in Dubai.
Police filmed every corner of the house, including the walls that were adorned with oversized photos of the extended Ibrahim family at what appeared to be a wedding.
One of the few times police filmed Ms Hall was when one of the officers discovered a bag of green vegetable matter in a bag in a kitchen drawer.
The officer suspected it was cannabis and filmed Ms Hall being questioned about the find.
She told the officers she had “no idea” as to how the bag of green plant matter got in the drawer.
Police seized numerous other items including BlackBerry phones and a Rolex watch, according to documents tendered in court.
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There was also a Hublot watch in a glass cabinet that Ms Hall told the officers was not real before explaining you could tell it was fake “if you pick it up”, the documents said.
Asked how much the watch was worth, according to the documents, Ms Hall said: “Pfft, roughly a hundred dollars.”
Police then questioned Ms Hall on how she came to possess a Rolex.
According to the documents, she replied: “I don’t want to answer that question.”
The make-up artist gave a similar answer when questioned about her annual income.
In relation to where she got her collection of designer handbags, the documents said she told the police: “I’m not going to answer that question either.”
Asked about the value of the bags in a certain section of the house, Ms Hall said: “Would be no more than $500. Everything below (the bags) I couldn’t tell you.”
Questioned by one of the officers how she knew the value, the documents said Ms Hall replied: “Because I know that they’re fake too.”
Pressed on the issue, the documents said she continued: “Because I can tell and I wouldn’t be able to afford a real one.”
The interview continued on the issue of the handbags with Ms Hall answering all the police questions in a similar manner, the documents said.
Did you buy them?
“No.”
Who bought them?
“I’m not going to answer that.”
Who else lives in this house?
“I’m not going to answer that either.”
How many other people live in this house?
“One.”
Who’s that?
“I’m not going to answer that.”
The officers turned the house upside down for almost 12 hours and left about 5.30pm.
Ms Hall was not charged and there is no suggestion she took part in criminal behaviour.