Police seize $65,000 and bag of white powder at John Ibrahim’s clifftop mansion
HEAVILY armed police have staged a daylong raid looking for firearms at John Ibrahim’s luxury clifftop mansion, leaving with $65,000 in confiscated cash and a small bag of white powder. He was later seen having a laugh with mate Kyle Sandilands.
NSW
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HEAVILY armed police have staged a daylong raid looking for firearms at John Ibrahim’s luxury clifftop mansion, leaving with $65,000 in confiscated cash and a small bag of white powder.
The dramatic scenes began when four plain clothes detectives swooped on the former Kings Cross nightclub owner’s Mercedes just moments after he left his Dover Heights home at about 10.30am.
They served Ibrahim with a Firearm Prohibition Order, giving them wide search powers, and immediately put a gun detection dog to work going over his car.
Moments after police let him go, a team of uniformed officers armed with a battering ram smashed their way into Ibrahim’s house as their target was driving to the city.
Officers spent the best part of the day systematically going through his home, seizing cash after breaking into his safe.
They also found a bag of yet-to-be identified white powder in the house.
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It’s the second time in the past year police have raided the property. No charges have been laid.
The search turned into a media circus when Ibrahim’s friend and shock jock Kyle Sandilands turned up in his Bentley and was refused entry.
“There are no guns there,” said Sandilands, who rents a six-room home, owned by Ibrahim, in the same street.
“They have been there 40 times, pulled down walls with suction cups. Stop wasting money.’’
Sandilands later met a relaxed looking Ibrahim at a Kings Cross cafe.
Ibrahim, who has not been charged with any offences, referred questions to his lawyer Abbas Soukie, who accused police of harassment.
“It’s our view that the Firearm Prohibition Order constitutes an abuse of process and is entirely without merit. Mr Ibrahim intends to vigorously challenge that provision of that order,’’ Mr Soukie said.
“Mr Ibrahim emphatically rejects any suggestion, express or implied, of any involvement in any illegal activity, and regards the continued and sustained harassment by NSW Police as unwarranted.’’
A police spokesman said the investigation was continuing.
An FPO gives police the power to search a person, their home, boat or any vehicle they are in without a warrant.