James Booth drug charges: alleged Bandidos drug syndicate busted

A man in Gucci slides with a chest tattoo reading “Life Is A Blessing” is now facing serious charges over his alleged involvement with a bikie drug syndicate.

A heavily tattooed man in Gucci slides has been accused of being a drug runner for a bikie-affiliated Sydney syndicate that allegedly stamped its cocaine with a designer logo.

James Booth’s bold “Life Is A Blessing” chest tattoo was somewhat incongruous as he was depicted shirtless and handcuffed after Strike Force Raptor detectives swooped on his Rose Bay residence.

Police will allege Booth, 26, acted as a runner for a bikie cocaine syndicate led by alleged Bandidos member Abbas Hijazi.

The Raptor Squad and Southern Region Enforcement Squad will allege the criminal syndicate had supplied cocaine, MDMA and methylamphetamine across Sydney and the Illawarra up until their arrests on Thursday.

James Booth, 26.

Booth is now behind bars on remand charged with two counts of large commercial drug supply, six counts of commercial drug supply, 16 counts of indictable drug supply and one count of criminal group participation.

In a bail application for his co-accused Ibrahim Kansou, the court heard Kansou was seen getting in and out of Booth’s car immediately before Booth allegedly supplied drugs to undercover cops.

Booth did not apply for bail at Waverley Local Court on Thursday and it was formally refused.

He will next face Waverley Local Court on June 24.

Booth during his arrest.

Booth was taken into custody in Gucci slides.

Alleged Bandidos bikie Hijazi, 31, now faces 32 charges of knowingly participating in prohibited drug supply pertaining to 1.313kg of cocaine, 1.685kg of methylamphetamine and 1.824kg of MDMA and has not applied for bail.

The Peakhurst man is also charged with directing and participating in a criminal group, concealing a serious indictable offence, using a mobile phone to menace and intimidating his own alleged drug runner Jake Davies.

Several cocaine blocks seized during raids associated with the investigation were stamped with a Dior logo – which is also allegedly a code name for co-accused drug runner Davies.

A brick of what is alleged to be cocaine, imprinted with the Dior logo.

Davies, 31, is accused of selling 6kg of meth and 4kg of ice over the five month operation.

Alfredo San Giorgio, 47, is facing 12 charges where police allege he supplied meth and cocaine from a Zetland apartment and dealt with $230,000 in allegedly dirty money.

Cash found at the Zetland unit.

A man arrested at the Zetland unit.

Davies and Giorgio were both refused bail at Central Local Court.

Alleged Bandidos OMCG associate David Coleman was charged with 20 offences including large commercial prohibited drug supply, commercial drug supply, indictable drug supply, possessing unauthorised pistols and not keeping a firearm safely.

Coleman was arrested in Bulli.

The Miranda man was also refused bail at Wollongong Local Court.

Revesby Heights plumber Kansou – allegedly codenamed Goat – faces 11 prohibited drug supply charges and one charge of participating in a criminal group over allegations he supplied 358.5g of cocaine and 420.6g of methylamphetamine in Peakhurst and Menai.

He was also refused bail at Sutherland Local Court.