Racehorse owner Damion Flower hit with fresh drugs charge
The horse racing identity who once co-owned winners with the likes of Alan Jones, Phil Gould and John Singleton was back in court on Wednesday where he was hit with a fresh charge
Central Sydney
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Fresh charges have been laid against racehorse owner Damion Flower and his accused accomplice in an alleged cocaine smuggling syndicate spanning almost three years.
Flower was sensationally arrested in May over the alleged large-scale importation of drugs aboard commercial air flights from South America.
The 47-year-old appeared via video link at Central Local Court on Wednesday where he heard prosecutors had withdrawn four charges of importing a commercial quantity of drugs.
But a new charge of engage in business to import a border force drug was certified.
It will be alleged in court that the former turf king - who co-owned horses with high-profile Sydney figures Alan Jones, Phil Gould and advertising guru John Singleton - schemed to import cocaine between June 1, 2016 and his arrest May 22, 2019.
Flower, who was nabbed outside his sprawling Moorebank home, also faces two charges of importing a commercial quantity of cocaine, and two of dealing with the proceeds of crime valuing more than $100,000 and $10,000 respectively.
A plea is set be entered at his court appearance on January 29.
Co-accused To Oto O Junior Mafiti also briefly appeared before the court where his matter was also adjourned to January for pleas.
Also known as John, airport worker Mafiti is alleged to have used his airside access to collect the smuggled drugs from baggage holds when the contraband landed in Sydney.
The 50-year-old from Hinchinbrook also had four charges of importing a commercial quantity of drugs withdrawn on Wednesday but was hit with the same charge of engaging in a business to import cocaine.
Mafiti faces two charges of importing cocaine at Sydney Airport on April 4 and May 22, 2019, and four of dealing with the proceeds of crime – twice to the value of more than $1 million, one for more than $100,000 in goods and one of items worth more than $10,000.