Matthew Battah, Benjamin Pitt: case adjourned as prosecutors wade through 500 witnesses

Hundreds of witnesses could be called in the extraordinary case of two men who allegedly fled the country, hid out for years and are now facing charges of conspiracy to import a whopping haul of drugs.

The two men accused of heading up one of the country’s biggest drug syndicates could face a trial with an almost unprecedented number of witnesses following their extradition from Dubai.

Benjamin Neil Pitt and Matthew John Battah were brought back to Australia in September last year to face charges for their part in allegedly conspiring to import a $150 million haul of drugs.

Police allege the duo have links to the Lone Wolf bikie gang and were involved in the importation of ice, MDMA and cannabis in 2013 and 2014.

The men were extradited from Dubai. Picture: NSW Police

The case was mentioned in Central Local Court last week before Magistrate Robert Williams.

“This is a conspiracy matter with a large amount of circumstantial evidence,” the prosecutor told the court.

“There’s over 500 witnesses – many have given numerous statements.”

Magistrate Williams granted an adjournment until February 23 at which point the men will return to court to have their charges certified.

Benjamin Neil Pitt. Credit: Facebook

Pitt and Battah face identical charges of three counts of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, one count of conspiracy to deal in the proceeds of crime greater than $1 million and a single count of conspiracy to traffic in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

Neither of the men applied for bail.

They will both appear via videolink when the case is next mentioned in court.