John Ibrahim’s home raided and Michael and Fadi arrested over ‘international drug syndicate’
UPDATE: The lawyer of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim claims his client has not been charged after police swarmed his home today as part of a major operation targeting an international drug syndicate.
NSW
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JOHN Ibrahim’s Sydney home has been raided and brothers Michael and Fadi have been arrested as part of a major operation to dismantle international drug syndicates.
Authorities in Dubai, working with AFP officers, swooped on the King of the Cross’ brothers in the street following dinner with three men: Mustapha Dib, and Stephen Elmir and another man.
LATEST: HOW POLICE BROUGHT DOWN THE HOUSE OF IBRAHIM
They are now working on extraditing the five men — who were in the UAE with other Sydney associates who have not been arrested — within 60 days.
Police are investigating whether Michael and Fadi Ibrahim were involved in the importation of MDMA into Australia.
In a press conference today, the AFP confirmed more than 1.8 tonnes of narcotics was seized in raids, with 17 arrests across Australia, Dubai and the Netherlands.
In Sydney, nine men and one woman were arrested.
No one will be extradited from the Netherlands.
Federal investigators have been undergoing a painstaking search of John Ibrahim’s Dover Heights mansion, digging through poolside gardens, scooping into a fish pond and looking at a section of the roof.
A group of police rushed out the front gate about 1pm and ran south along the cliff top, searching bushland.
Detectives searched inside the house and surveyed his pool area while sniffer dogs looked through bushland below his property. They also searched a black Audi hatch parked in the driveway. It is understood Ibrahim is home but he has not been arrested.
Ibrahim’s lawyer of more than 20 years Brett Galloway told media outside the house today his client had not been charged and was “a changed man”.
“Police were here today for reasons unrelated to John, it was something that they had to do and he co-operated with,” Mr Galloway said.
“He has not been charged with any offences and nothing of any interest was found.
“He’s a changed man. Whatever he might have been 30 years ago, he’s a changed man today.
“He’s not involved in crime. He does other things.”
A total of 30 search warrants were executed across Sydney today, including the homes of John and Fadi Ibrahim, both located in Dover Heights.
The investigation began in mid 2016 with the alleged illegal activity continuing right until the past few days.
A container of drugs was seized by authorities in the Netherlands in July and it was allegedly bound for Australia in shipping containers.
There has also been $7 million in cash and properties seized as the result of the investigation, AFP Assistant Commissioner National Manager Organised Crime and Cyber, Neil Gaughan, said.
This also led to the seizure today of five firearms, including a rifle; small amounts of drugs; and hundreds of thousands in cash in Sydney.
A total of 1.8 tonnes of MDMA, 136kg of cocaine and 15kg of crystal methamphetamines was seized by authorities in the Netherlands, with a street value of $810 million.
“The people we allege are part of this syndicate are Middle Eastern organised crime figures that are well-known to law enforcement, and for decades this group has flaunted their wealth and activities, telling the community they were untouchable. Today, it should be obvious that they are not,” Mr Gaughan said.
A second home was also raided three doors away from the Ibrahim mansion on George St. Teams of investigators left with boxes and evidence bags.
John Ibrahim reportedly bought the property at 1 George St as a 22-year-old and it has undergone significant renovations to include a sprawling balcony with a view north to the cliffs of Vaucluse and a plunge pool.
It comes as police this morning raided 32 homes across Sydney and issued 52 warrants in one of the biggest attacks on organised crime in Australian history.
A 27-year-old Double Bay woman, believed to be linked to John Ibrahim, has been charged with possession of a firearm after police allegedly found a loaded Glock 26 handgun today.
Her charges are not connected to the drug syndicate and no further charges are expected.
Today’s arrests involve three simultaneous police operations.
Veyda began months ago targeting the illegal importation of MDMA into Australia and resulted in the arrest of the Ibrahim brothers as well as Mustapha Dib.
Astantine investigated the alleged importation of 200kg of MDMA into Australia by another crime syndicate.
Kindra involved follow up arrests to an earlier investigation into the alleged massive importation of illegal tobacco worth $50 million
Police made the decision to co-ordinate all three investigation in order to net all targets.
Among the 14 people arrested to date include John’s son Daniel and Ahmad ‘Rock’ Ahmad, the brother of slain underworld figure Walid Ahmad. Daniel, 27, recently served a stint with the Australian Army.
Police are also investigating whether a well-known crime family was involved in the MDMA trade in what was a separate drug operation. A third syndicate was allegedly involved in smuggling illegal tobacco into Australia.
The home raid comes just a week after the release of Ibrahim’s autobiography in which he said he would ‘tear the city apart’ following the shooting of his brother Fadi.
Michael Ibrahim is the youngest of the four Merrylands brothers, who include nightclub boss John.
Fadi Ibrahim is the third eldest of the brothers.
His low public profile changed in 2009 after he was shot five times when ambushed by a gunman as he sat with his now wife Shayda Bastani in a parked Lamborghini outside their Castle Cove home in 2009.
Shayda, who was his girlfriend at the time, was shot in the thigh.
No one has ever been charged.
Last year, he sold the extravagant five-bedroom property with its marble and travertine flooring, swimming pool with water feature and 16 camera security system with fingerprint entry.
In June, Fadi was linked to the mysterious sale of a waterfront mansion owned by Jamelie Lahood
The younger Ibrahim appeared in the NSW Supreme Court, with his lawyers arguing he had a stake in the property, with Ms Lahood owing him $2.9 million in loans secured by a caveat over the Yowie Bay home.
The court agreed to extend the caveat, so long as Fadi paid the missing stamp duty on it.
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