From ‘Barbie-doll’ to ‘Mr Billionaire’: The codenames in a cracked Sydney crime network

THE unravelling of Australia’s most notorious family began with a meeting at Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park last year - allegedly the genesis of a criminal syndicate which used encrypted BlackBerries and codenames such as “Barbiedoll’’, “Babyface’’ and “The Enemy’’.

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THE unravelling of Australia’s most notorious family began with a secret meeting at Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park in November last year.

It was here eastern suburbs real estate agent Ryan Watsford met with alleged organised crime kingpin Michael Ibrahim, 39, his cousin Fares Derbas, 30, and another man to discuss plans to import illegal cigarettes, police will allege.

Michael Ibrahim was arrested in Dubai.

Fares Derbas aka “Paranoids” was at the secret meeting.

After this meeting, police will allege, an international crime syndicate headed by some members of the infamous Ibrahim family moved fast.

They also chatted furiously on their encrypted BlackBerry phones using codenames such as “Barbiedoll”, “Baby G” “Blackknight”, “Staypaid” and “Mr Billionaire”, allegedly to organise multimillion-dollar drug deals.

Thirty-seven-year-old Watsford, who police allege was a key player, went by the name of “Barbiedoll” and, after his first meeting with a man about the importation of illegal tobacco, said, “great start to a fruitful relationship together”.

Ryan Watsford - aka “Rhino” or “Barbiedoll”.

Ahmad “Rock” Ahmad. Picture: John Grainger

On their BlackBerries they constantly referred to a “door” they would use, which police claim was a reference to a person or way to facilitate the importation of illegal drugs and goods without being detected.

Syndicate members met dozens of times at various locations across Sydney - from the InterContinental at Double Bay to a Strathfield 7/11 service station - to discuss and ­organise the importation of tobacco and ecstasy in shipping containers.

The secret meeting took place at the Sheraton On The Park, Sydney.

Little did they realise police knew their BlackBerry identities and were following their every move with listening devices, surveillance teams and tracking devices.

After years of a sophisticated, covert operation, police finally swooped on the group, arresting more than 20 people in a series of dramatic raids across Sydney and Dubai on Monday.

Those arrested included the two brothers of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim - Fadi, 43, and Michael - along with Steven Elmir, Hakan Arif and Mustapha Dib, all of whom were taken into custody by local authorities and the Australian Federal Police in Dubai.

The syndicate then met up at locations across Sydney including the InterContinental.

Yesterday Sydney’s Central Local Court was a hive of activity, filled with dozens of Australian Federal Police and high-profile barristers.

A number of accused appeared via video link.

John’s model girlfriend and nightclub owner Sarah Budge, 27, was released from custody after she was allegedly found with a Glock pistol.

Giirlfriend of John Ibrahim, Sarah Budge, leaves court after being bailed on gun possession. Picture: Richard Dobson.

Fadi Ibrahim is currently in custody in Dubai awaiting extradition to Australia. Picture Stephen Cooper

His son Daniel, 26, was also granted bail after being accused of handling a suitcase and tool bag filled with $2.25 million cash, which was payment for 900,000 packets of illegal cigarettes. His lawyer Nick Hanna denied Daniel had any involvement in the alleged syndicate.

John Ibrahim’s cousin Fares Derbas (represented by Abbas Soukie) — who police will allege helped to organise and transport illegal cigarettes — was not so lucky, with the magistrate refusing him bail in light of what she believed was a “strong Crown case”.

Michael Ibrahim was among the group celebrating in Dubai when police swooped.

John Ibrahim, who has not been charged with anything.

John Ibrahim, who has not been charged with anything, has not been seen or heard from since police raided his luxurious Dover Heights mansion on Monday.

Following the dismantling of the alleged syndicate, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that police have ­accused Michael Ibrahim of being a common link between two syndicates — one involving his own family and a second headed by Steven Elmir.

It can also be revealed that police will claim Michael Ibrahim allegedly oversaw the following four deals ­between November 15, 2016 and May 26, 2017:

Police are seen searching the guttering of John Ibrahim’s Dover Heights home.

● The exchange of $1.2 million cash for 200,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes at Greenacre on November 15, 2016.

● A deal done at Strathfield South 7/11 service station, where $600,000 was exchanged with an unknown male for a further 100,000 packets of illegal tobacco on November 22, 2016.

● Four meetings at Michael Ibrahim’s mother’s house at Merrylands, where he handed over almost $800,000 in cash to an unknown male for 190,000 packets of illegal cigarettes.

● A final deal that was sealed in Dubai for Michael Ibrahim’s group to pay for 800kg of the drug MDMA and 900,000 packets of illegal cigarettes.

Police will allege the plan to ­import drugs was thwarted when law ­enforcement in the Netherlands ­intercepted the MDMA packed in 34 cardboard boxes.

But the 900,000 packets of cigarettes arrived in Australia from Dubai in a shipping container on board the Josephine Maersk.

It is understood the second syndicate, allegedly involving Elmir and his associates in Europe, allegedly conspired to import a tonne of MDMA and 126kg of cocaine. The drugs destined for Australian shores were seized in the Netherlands in late July.