Executed underworld figure Walid ‘Wally’ Ahmad was relative to cocaine syndicate head Ali Ahmad
A relative of slain underworld figure Walid “Wally” Ahmad was an addicted teenager trying to feed his own habit when he became director of a cocaine syndicate, a court has heard.
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A relative of slain underworld figure Walid “Wally” Ahmad was an addicted teenager trying to feed his own habit when he became director of a cocaine syndicate, a court has heard.
Muhammad Khodar Ali Ahmed and 10 others were arrested by specialist police in late 2017.
The young man has pleaded guilty to more than a dozen charges including supply a prohibited drug, knowingly participate in a criminal group and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Police allege Ali Ahmed was one of a few “directors” of the group who helped co-ordinate drug deliveries and payment with the help of drug “runners”.
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But his lawyers say the young man wasn’t motivated by greed or financial gain like some of his co-accused — rather he was addicted and motivated by the drugs.
“The offender became involved largely because he was trying to feed his own habit,” barrister Philip Strickland told Downing Centre District Court on Friday.
The court heard Ali Ahmed was developing a bad relationship with drugs by the time he was just 13.
At that time his father had been dying and Ali Ahmed was sent to live with a relative who introduced him to marijuana.
From there he began dabbling in harder substances including cocaine.
The court did not hear whether that relatove was Ali Ahmed’s infamous relative, Wally Ahmad, who was shot dead at a Bankstown cafe in early 2016.
Ahmad’s death was a major catalyst for police to form Strike force Kentgrove in a bid to halt the escalating underworld violence.
Kentgrove’s officers had begun circling the syndicate just over a year after the execution-style killing.
While Ali Ahmed’s legal team concede he’s likely going to be handed prison time, they say his alleged role as a syndicate director doesn’t make him worse than the runners.
“They’re both an essential component to the evil of supplying drugs,” his barrister Philip Strickland acknowledged in court on Friday.
“He realises he’s on the wrong path, and he has to get on the right path.”
A suited Ali Ahmed, with a neat beard and long hair pulled back in a hair tie, flashed a smile to his family which packed out the public gallery.
His lawyers called for a conviction of about 18 months, backdated to the time he was arrested.
That would see him released on either the day of his sentencing, or not long after, they added.
The court is expected to hand down a decision on Wednesday.
Ali-Ahmed’s high profile criminal lawyer, Abbas Soukie, would not comment outside court other than to confirm the next court date.