Alleged senior Sydney crime figure Mohamad Alameddine granted bail after his arrest at luxury CBD apartment

A man who police allege is one of Sydney’s most senior crime figures has been granted bail after he was arrested at a multimillion-dollar city apartment after police found bundles of cash stashed inside a fire extinguisher cupboard.

Mohamad Alameddine was arrested on Tuesday. Photo: NSW Police

A man who police allege is one of Sydney’s most senior crime figures has been granted bail after he was arrested at a multimillion-dollar city apartment after police found bundles of cash stashed inside a fire extinguisher cupboard.

Mohamad Alameddine’s high-profile barrister Greg James AM KC told Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday his client was “certainly going to have to move” due to publicity surrounding his arrest.

He recently relocated from his former home in southwest Sydney, fearing for his life, and was visited by police inside a three-bedroom penthouse in the CBD on April 9.

Police searched the 40-year-old’s home during a firearm prohibition compliance check but found nothing illegal inside the property.

But in nearby fire extinguisher cupboards, officers found $13,000 cash in one and a mobile phone in another which were taken away for forensic testing.

Criminal Groups Squad detectives made the arrest on Tuesday. Picture: NSW Police

After DNA results came back, police alleged they were linked to Alameddine and returned on Tuesday, arresting him for breaching a serious crime prevention order (SCPO).

He was taken to Day Street police station and charged with two counts of contravene SCPO and failing to comply with digital evidence access order direction in relation to the mobile phone. No pleas have been entered.

The arrest of Alameddine, a Comanchero associate, is part of a high visibility operation targeting known members of the underworld using the execution of firearm prohibition compliance orders, or FPOs.

“These operations are to let those in this milieu know we are watching them,” said a senior officer.

Known as Almo, Alameddine is subjected to some of strictest SCPOs, which restrict his movements in parts of the city with the orders first used to try and suppress the movement of figures involved in the Alameddine-Hamze war which raged for two years from 2020.

Mohamad Alameddine during the arrest. Picture: NSW Police

Alameddine, who shares the same name but is not related to the crime family, was ultimately granted bail by Magistrate Miranda Moody on Wednesday.

The prosecution drew the court’s attention to the fact sheet, indicating there was DNA of Alameddine found during investigations.

Ms Moody acknowledged the prosecution case was ”quite strong” and noted an intensive correction order was “possible”.

In applying for his client’s bail, Mr James submitted his client would comply with multiple orders, including the SCPO, and if he were to breach any of those conditions, it would amount to a breach of his bail “whereupon he may be arrested immediately”.

“Because of the publicity surrounding the place he was arrested, he’s going to have to move,” Mr James said.

Before Alameddine is able to be released, he is required to surrender his passport to police.

“This is the second time he has been granted bail for breaching these laws and each time he is let free,” one senior officer said.

“There is a feeling that the courts are not supporting these laws as vigorously as they could be.”