Alleged bikie boss has drugs charges against him dropped
AN alleged former national president of a bikie gang, best known for running around his neighbourhood naked while brandishing a pistol, has faced charges of trafficking ice in a cross-border ring today. But there was a new development in court.
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AN alleged former national president of a bikie gang best known for running around his neighbourhood naked while brandishing a pistol, has had charges of supplying large amounts of the drug ice dropped in court this morning.
Former Turkish army conscript Erkan “The Wolf” Keskin, 40, from Millers Point in Sydney, was in the Supreme Court in Brisbane today where charges of trafficking ice to a cross-border ring were dropped more than two years after they were laid by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Crown Prosecutor Mark Green officially asked for the return of the indictment in court before Justice David Boddice today.
Keskin, the alleged former national president of the Lone Wolf outlaw bikie gang, had been due to face trial last month, but it was delayed and relisted for April next year.
The Dubai gym owner and former crane company “adviser”, was charged with trafficking ice between 17 November 2013 and 16 April 2015 at the Gold Coast, which carries a maximum 25-year jail term.
He was bailed despite police opposition saying Keskin “has amassed a large wealth believed to be more than $4 million earned through the manufacture and sale of ice”.
At a committal hearing last year the court was told that Keskin ran an ice trafficking ring with alleged Gold Coast kingpin Paul John Vella, 45.
Prosecutors alleged Vella made seven trips from the Gold Coast to Sydney to meet with Keskin to arrange the importation of drugs to Queensland, or the payment for the drugs.
The court heard that all shipments came by road, apart from one shipment through the mail when Paul Vella’s son Joshua Vella, 24, picked up drugs from a post box and delivered it to a Burleigh Heads “ice” distributor in April 2014.
Paul John Vella has not been charged. Joshua Vella is due to be sentenced on December 4 at the Supreme Court Brisbane for drug trafficking.
Speaking outside court Keskin told the Courier Mail that he was relieved that he would no longer have to wear an ankle-bracelet tracking device, report for bail or abide by a curfew.
Keskin’s sister in law Shanelle Keskin, from the Sydney suburb of St Clair, had put up $700,000 surety to secure his freedom on bail while awaiting trial.
In August Keskin had child porn charges — related to photographs of his own children — dropped in NSW. He now says he plans to sue the state for malicious prosecution.
His wife Kristen, who usually lives in Dubai, has been charged with possession of child porn, Keskin told The Courier Mail.
Those charges also pertain to photographs of the couples children and Mrs Keskin intends to vigorously defend them.
Originally published as Alleged bikie boss has drugs charges against him dropped