Frank Delcol charged with planting getaway car used in Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad shooting

Gangland boss ‘Brownie’ Ahmad is executed. Alameddine heavyweight Masood Zakaria is tipped off about an arrest and flees. NSW Police scramble to stem the bloodshed. Watch the final episode of The Daily Telegraph's four-part documentary diving into the deadly depths of Sydney's gang war.

A man charged by police over the murder of crime boss Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad allegedly strategically left a getaway car at a location two days before the shooting, and picked it up six days later after it had been used.

Frank Delcol, 49, was last week charged with one count each of being an accessory before and after Ahmad’s assassination on Narelle Cr in Greenacre about 9.30pm on April 27.

NSW Police allege that Delcol dropped the getaway car off at the agreed location on April 25, before picking it up again on May 3 – at which point they allege he swapped the number plates on the car for another set of cloned plates.

The allegations were revealed in the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday as Delcol applied for bail, having been behind bars on remand since May 3 when he was initially charged with major drug supply offences.

Delcol was arrested at Campsie before police raided his home at Wetherill Park, where they allegedly found more than $22 million worth of ice, $200,000 cash in a lockbox and a backpack filled with cloned plates.

Frank Delcol has been charged with allegedly supplying a getaway car used in the murder of gang boss Mahmoud "Brownie" Ahmad (above). Picture: Supplied

The NSW Supreme Court heard Delcol allegedly planted the getaway car two days before Ahmad (above) was killed, and picked it up from another location six days after the shooting. Picture: Supplied

The court heard Delcol was initially charged with supplying of a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, participating in a criminal group and dealing with $200,000 in proceeds of crime, before police linked to Strike Force Erebus laid further charges over his alleged involvement in Ahmad’s murder on Friday.

Delcol’s barrister Greg James QC told the NSW Supreme Court his client had mental health and other personal issues, and that while police alleged he played a role in the criminal network the facts sheet detailed little more than him “delivering a car and picking it up again”.

Ahmad was gunned down in Narelle Cr at Greenacre on Wednesday, April 27. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Mr James also told the court there was no explanation of which organised crime network Delcol allegedly worked with, or who had ordered Ahmad’s murder.

“There is nothing to suggest he had any knowledge, before or after the murder, at the time he had any link to the vehicle or was involved in the movements, of the commission of the murder,” he said of Delcol.

“We’re left with a hypothesis at best that because he had something to do with the car, he must have had something to do with the murder.

“It’s stretched at one point to say that he had something to do with the planning.”

Police patrolling the local area tried to perform CPR, but Ahmad could not be saved. Picture: Supplied

In opposition to Mr James’ submission that Delcol had little knowledge of the criminals he was allegedly working for, the Crown told the court that text messages found on the accused’s phone gave something of an insight into his activities.

One text message allegedly read more like a list of duties: “Pick up plates and give 3k ($3,000) of my own cash, then drop off at another address”.

Crown Prosecutor Gourlie said police allege Delcol had not been a big player, but was heavily involved.

“It is unlikely that a sophisticated criminal group would allow a dupe, or someone they perceive to have mental health issues, to have possession of that quantity of drugs,” he said.

“Also in the study were multiple clone number plates which are used by criminal groups, particularly those that are involved in murders.

“In relation to his community ties and lack of a criminal history … one doesn’t start playing first grade from the get go.

“But this is serious criminal activity.”

Ahmad’s death came after he was warned by police on multiple occasions about threats to his life. Picture: David Swift

The court heard that Delcol is currently going through a divorce and had been caring for his sick mother, up until his arrest.

Mr James proposed that caring for his sick mother was one reason Delcol should be released on bail, and that he would wear an ankle monitoring bracelet and pay a surety.

But even with those conditions Justice Michael Walton refused to release him.

“The drugs, number plates and proceeds of crime were all found at a location where the applicant had the keys to,” Justice Walton said.

“My finding at the moment is that the Crown case remains viable.”

Delcol is next due back in Fairfield Local Court next week, on July 6.

Don’t miss the final episode of The War, The Daily Telegraph’s exclusive documentary series exposing the guts and gore of Sydney’s underworld – out Thursday.