Matthew Douet applies for bail variation on drug charges

An alleged Comanchero bikie, accused of supplying a substantial amount of cocaine after police infiltrated the An0m messaging app, took on a surprising new role after he was released on bail.

An alleged Comanchero bikie charged with cocaine supply after police infiltrated the An0m encrypted messaging app wound up working as an intake supervisor at his rehab facility before he was released, a court has heard.

Matthew Douet was arrested and charged when police swooped on several alleged bikies attached to the Comanchero South Coast chapter in September 2021.

A court has previously heard how the Australian Federal Police infiltrated the An0m app, watching in real time as multiple people around the world allegedly organised drug supply and other crimes using the app as they believed it to be encrypted.

Police allege Douet used the handle “Glen20” to organise cocaine purchases from his upline and on-supplies to other customers through An0m.

Matthew Douet.

He has pleaded not guilty to 37 drug supply charges – the most serious of which is an allegation of large commercial cocaine supply – and will face trial in July next year.

Douet appeared with his solicitor Ahmed Dib at Sydney District Court on Thursday where he sought a variation to his stringent Supreme Court bail conditions which would allow him to possess a mobile phone.

Judge Phillip Mahony at Sydney District Court acknowledged the Shell Cove man has already spent 10 months in custody on remand and another 14 months in a residential rehabilitation facility since his arrest.

“The applicant attended that rehab centre and successfully completed a 12 month program,” Judge Mahony said.

“He stayed on as an assistant supervisor assisting new intakes and he graduated in August this year.”

Douet was arrested after police infiltrated the An0m app.

Mr Dib told Judge Mahony that Douet needed a phone that could operate the MyGov app so he can register as a director of a business called CMD Architecture, in which he has recently become a 99 per cent shareholder.

Other strict bail conditions remain in place, including that Douet not leave his residence unless in the company of his wife, and report twice a week to police.

The application was strongly opposed by Crown prosecutor Samuel Chua.

Ultimately Judge Mahony did not make a judgment on whether the variation to allow a phone was appropriate, saying he did not find special facts or circumstances which would allow him to consider varying the bail set by the NSW Supreme Court.

The application was declined and any future variation will have to be sought in the NSW Supreme Court where Douet’s bail was originally granted.