Man’s arrest over alleged drug trafficking ring sparks concerns among Victoria Police

The boss of an interpreting services company used by Victoria Police has been charged with being part of a cross-border drug trafficking ring.

The boss of an interpreting service company used by Victoria Police has been accused of being part of a cross-border drug trafficking ring.

The Herald Sun can reveal Tekin Hulusi, director of OnCall language services, was among those arrested and charged as part of the Australian Federal Police’s nationwide Ghost app sting last week.

His arrest has raised concerns among those in the justice system as OnCall provides 24-hour interpreters and translators to government agencies, police and the courts across the country.

“It undermines the proper administration of justice because interpreters play a critical role,” one legal source said.

“They sit on telephone intercepts, discussions with the OPP, secret hearings before the examiner and interpret evidence in court.”

A Keysborough man is accused of being part of a cross-border drug trafficking ring. Picture: AFP

Hulusi was removed as a director of the company when charges were laid.

His brother, Mustafa Hulusi is CEO of the company and continues to run the business.

He has not been charged with any offences.

A spokesperson for Oncall said: “Oncall has never been contacted by any law enforcement agency raising any concerns with our interpreting services, we are a trusted and well regarded interpreting agency.”

It has not been alleged Mr Hulusi, 34, used his position to access confidential information elicited from his translators to assist his alleged drug trafficking activities.

Investigators initially swooped on him and Global Farms businessman Caner Dogan, 36, as they met for an alleged drug deal in a service lane on Turner St, Port Melbourne, about 7.30pm on June 6.

Mr Hulusi, from Keysborough, allegedly told police he had “a sh-t load of coke” and cash in his car, which he had picked up from a “dead drop” in South Melbourne.

A subsequent search of his Range Rover allegedly uncovered a 1kg block of cocaine in the rear baby seat, and almost $14,000 cash in a small suitcase.

A secret compartment containing 12kg of methylamphetamine, with a street value of $1.15m, and two electronic scales were allegedly found in the Peugeot van Mr Dogan was driving.

Police allege they also uncovered a Glock 26 handgun with the serial number defaced in the roof cavity above the shower in Mr Dogan’s luxury $6.2m Docklands home.

Mr Dogan, who police allege is the ringleader of the drug syndicate, gave a “no comment” interview.

Police arrest a Docklands man over the alleged drug syndicate. Picture: AFP

Mr Hulusi and Mr Dogan were granted bail after offering $1m sureties and highlighting they each had a child with autism who needed them at home, as well as businesses to run.

The court heard AFP officers had been following the pair’s every move, with surveillance, bugs on vehicles and phone intercepts.

First Constable Nicholas Payne told the court Mr Dogan was using a motorhome on a rural New South Wales property to store, prepare and transport drugs.

In opposing bail, the AFP officer said Mr Dogan used “sophisticated methods of concealment”, had “enough clout” to task individuals to assist him in committing offences, and had known links to the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang.

He told the court Mr Dogan was living the high life off of his drug profits, pointing to “the ostentatious wealth displayed at his home”.

A secret compartment containing 12kg of methylamphetamine was found in a Peugeot van. Picture: Supplied

On September 17, Mr Hulusi and Mr Dogan were rearrested in dawn raids as part of Operation Kraken, a global take-down of Ghost, an encrypted communications app which the AFP alleges was built solely for criminals.

It is alleged Mr Hulusi and Mr Dogan used the app to plan and execute the trafficking of about 128kg of methylamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA in the first six months of this year.

They are both charged with trafficking large commercial quantities of methylamphetamine and cocaine, while Mr Hulusi is also charged with trafficking MDMA.

The maximum penalty for trafficking offences is life imprisonment.

The pair will return to court in January.

Originally published as Man’s arrest over alleged drug trafficking ring sparks concerns among Victoria Police