Iranian couple on temporary protection visas caught selling large amounts of ice, police allege
POLICE became aware of the Iranian refugees that officers allege dealt almost 40kg of ice in Asquith after they busted a low-level dealer in Waterloo last March.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
POLICE became aware of the Iranian refugees that officers allege dealt almost 40kg of ice in Asquith after they busted a low-level dealer in Waterloo last March.
A seemingly normal couple, Ali Maleki and Yosra Rabieh — who came from Iran as refugees in May 2014 — raised their two daughters in their Asquith unit that they shared with co-accused Hassan Mohkamkar.
A neighbour of the family, Iman Aziminejad, told The Daily Telegraph that he thought the two little girls had gone to stay with Maleki’s brother.
Since last week’s raid by Ku-ring-gai Local Area Command and subsequent arrests the car spaces have been empty and three luxury vehicles seized by police haven’t been seen.
“I think the police may have taken the cars for evidence, they aren’t in the parking spaces anymore,” he said.
Since arriving in Australia in 2013, Maleki posted often on his Facebook in English and in Farsi.
Along with photos of himself at the beach, he uploaded inspiration quotes, videos and translations of “Australian slang” including ankle biter, you reckon and ratbag.
Before his arrest on Wednesday, he posted a video on February 2 in commemoration of Friends’ Day featuring his wife, their one-year-old daughter,
His wife’s online presence heavily features their two daughters, one and three, and a plea for a “Free Iran”.
Outwardly, asylum seekers Maleki and Rabieh appeared to be living the life they claimed to so desperately want in Australia — posting photos on Facebook with their beaming youngest daughter and posing together on Blue Mountains getaways.
MORE
STRIKE FORCE RAPTOR RAIDS MIDDLE EASTERN CRIMS
SIX CHARGED AFTER 21ST BIRTHDAY CRUISE BRAWL
SEVEN’S FROSTY RECEPTION FOR STAR MEL
However, behind the scenes the young parents were running an operation to sell massive amounts of the deadly drug ice on the streets of Sydney, police allege.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the couple are two of several Iranian nationals in Australia on temporary protection visas who have been arrested recently for allegedly trafficking or peddling methamphetamines.
Maleki and Rabieh, who came to Australia by boat in May 2013, were arrested on Wednesday after police allegedly seized 36kg of ice following a year-long operation.
Three luxury cars, $264,750 in cash, 100 capsules of steroids, a Taser and a cash-counting machine were also seized as police raided three units and a warehouse at Asquith.
The couple, who have two daughters, aged one and three, have each been charged with supplying a commercial quantity of drugs and with knowingly participating in a criminal group. Maleki is also charged with supplying 1.97kg of ice in March last year and another 2kg in August.
A third Iranian, Hassan Mohkamkar, who lived with the couple in Asquith, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact of supplying drugs. The trio have not entered pleas.
Separately last week, police arrested two Iranian asylum seekers and charged them with trying to import almost 10kg of ice into Sydney hidden in jars of honey.
The estimated street value of the drugs from both operations was $42 million.
The arrests come after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton renewed his vow to crack down on foreign-born criminals and confirmed the visas of more than 3000 offenders had been cancelled since 2014.
They were always in contact with unusual guys at strange times. Even it was past midnight somebody would be coming and going
The visas of all five Iranians arrested last week are expected to be cancelled.
Online and to neighbours, Maleki and Rabieh kept up appearances as a normal family.
They posted photos of family trips to the Blue Mountains, local parks and the beach. They were seen enjoying drinks at Opera Bar, riding camels at Port Stephens and taking their girls to swimming lessons.
But neighbour Iman Aziminejad, 34, said he was surprised by the “very nice cars” they drove, including a Mercedes and a Lexus.
“They have two luxury cars and when I went downstairs I saw lots of police around them and a lot of big bags on the ground,” Mr Aziminejad said.
In last week’s other case, Iranian nationals Meysam Falahati Roshanagh, 31, and Mehdi Solhi, 28, were arrested on Wednesday and charged with importing nearly 10kg of ice hidden in a honey shipment, after a tip-off from Turkish authorities. The two arrived in Australia by boat — Roshanagh in 2013 and Solhi in 2012 — and both currently hold temporary protection visas.
Last year, Iranian asylum seeker Vahid Reza Azadpour Saleh, 32, was arrested after allegedly smuggling 1.5kg of meth into Australia from Dubai.