Accused drug ‘queenpin’ Alina Antal took orders from jailed lover

EXCLUSIVE: AN alleged drug queenpin accused of recruiting minors to sell marijuana took orders from her lover in jail who was directing the sales using a smuggled mobile phone, a court has heard.

AN alleged drug queenpin accused of recruiting minors to sell marijuana took orders from her lover in jail who was directing the sales using a smuggled mobile phone, a court has heard.

Alina Antal, 29, the on-again off-again girlfriend of an alleged Assyrian gang leader Oliver Merza, was granted bail by Justice Ian Harrison in NSW Supreme Court yesterday after seven months in custody.

Accused drug ‘queenpin’ Alina Antal was granted bail yesterday. Picture: Facebook

Antal was arrested in February during drug raids across south west Sydney. Picture: NSW Police

The court heard that police will allege Merza used a prison phone and mobiles smuggled into the correctional centre to direct Antal on selling up to 2.2 kilograms of marijuana a week through south west Sydney.

Antal was one of 10 people arrested in February during co-ordinated drug raids across south west Sydney and charged with five offences including supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis and recruiting a child for criminal activity.

Also arrested were six men, including Merza who was charged in custody, and three boys, two aged 17 and one aged 15.

Alina Antal. Picture: Facebook

Alina Antal. Picture: Facebook

Solicitor for the Crown Liam McAuliffe told the court Antal, “may not be the principal in the offending but she is certainly up there in the hierarchy.” He said in the phone calls intercepted by police Merza is “again and again” directing Antal to “move more” cannabis.

Police allege Antal, who had previously worked in real estate, was in charge of managing three “safe houses” where the cannabis was stored.

“She organised and kept the safe houses running and she obtained the leases and moved them (the safe houses) when needed,” Mr McAuliffe said.

“They didn’t turn out to be too safe did they,” Justice Harrison replied. Antal’s lawyer Stewart O’Connell told the court that police had “estimated” that Antal supplied 25 kilograms of cannabis between September last year and February thereby meeting the threshold for supplying a commercial quantity of a drug.

The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad made 10 arrests in February. Picture: NSW Police

One of the men arrested in the February raids. Picture: NSW Police

When someone is charged with a supplying a commercial quantity of a drug it is a lot more difficult to be granted bail.

However Mr O’Connell said the 25kg estimate was based on the intercepted conversations between Antal and Merza in which they allegedly discussed selling up to 2.2kg a week.

In reality police had seized 3 kilograms of cannabis in the raids. He said lengthy delays in the District Court meant Antal could be in custody for at least 12 months before her case reached trial.

Justice Harrison granted her bail under strict conditions noting it was her first time in custody and she would not face trial until the second half of next year.

She was ordered to live with her mother at Airds and report to Campbelltown police station daily.