Drug syndicate accused Ahmed Chami granted bail to live with solicitor uncle

A young Sydney accountant spent two months in custody on remand after police allegedly found him in possession of 2.3kgs of cocaine and $1.3m cash. He’s now been released from jail to live with his uncle, one of Sydney’s leading commercial lawyers.

Ahmed Chami will be required to live with his solicitor uncle and is banned from contcting his co-accused, including his two brothers, while on bail. Picture: Facebook

A young Sydney accountant remanded in custody after he was allegedly caught with 2kgs of cocaine and more than $1.3 million in cash has been released on conditional bail to live with his uncle - a partner at one of Australia’s most prestigious commercial law firms.

Ahmed Chami, 23, along with his brothers Adam, 18 and Amin, 25, and a close associate, Ismael Hares, 23, were arrested in January this year following police raids on a vehicle and two properties at Strathfield.

They were each charged with drug supply, proceeds of crime and criminal group offences amid allegations they were part of a sophisticated drug syndicate dealing in large quantities of drugs and cash.

All three brothers were remanded in custody at the time of their arrest but released on conditional bail earlier this month after making separate applications before the NSW Supreme Court.

As part of their bail, they are prohibited from communicating with each other and must live at separate addresses.

Zac Chami, a partner at top tier law firm Clayton Utz, has agreed to have his nephew Ahmed live with him while he awaits trial on drug supply charges. Picture: LinkedIn

While Adam will reside at the family home with his parents in Strathfield and Amin with a friend in Chester Hill, Ahmed was bailed to live with his solicitor uncle, Zac Chami, who the court heard was a Sydney-based partner at top tier national law firm Clayton Utz.

In a letter to the court, Zac Chami said his extended family was devastated by the allegations levelled against his three nephews.

“I have real fear for the mental state of my nephews,” Mr Chami wrote.

“…I beg your Honour to grant bail to [Ahmed] on any onerous terms thought fit.”

Justice Adams found Mr Chami’s position as a lawyer was a protective factor in ensuring Ahmed complied with his bail conditions and agreed to release him.

The court heard the brothers’ parents had also agreed to put up the deeds to their $5m home - split three ways - to provide a surety for each of their sons.

NSW Police charged the three Chami brothers along with their associate, Ismael Hares, after officers discovered $1.6 m in cash, cocaine and methamphetamine in cars and homes at Strathfield. Picture: NSW Police

A Crown case statement tendered to the court said police were surveilling a white Volkswagen hatch parked in Strathfield on January 8 when they allegedly saw Ahmed and Hares arrive in a silver Audi.

The court heard police will allege Ahmed opened the Volkswagen using a key from his pocket and retrieved a black bag from the boot, which he loaded into the Audi before driving off.

Officers stopped the Audi and searched it a short time later, allegedly discovering 2.3kgs of cocaine in the black bag and $24,000 in cash in a Louis Vuitton bag. Ahmed allegedly claimed he owned the cash and was going to use it to buy a car.

Some of the bagged up drugs police found during a search of cars and properties allegedly associated with the Chami brothers. Picture: NSW Police

The court heard at the time of his arrest, Ahmed allegedly yelled out to a nearby homeowner “call my brothers”.

Police will allege a short time later, detectives watching the Chami family residence saw Adam leave the house and walk next door to a derelict house, where he handed his brother Amin a plastic bag. Amin put the bag in the cabin of his Mitsubishi Triton ute before returning to the family home.

Officers swooped on the derelict building, where they found 2kgs of methamphetamine, 680g of cocaine, 2L of methamphetamine oil, two ballistic vests, 20 drivers licences, $300,000 in cash, a pump action shotgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The court heard a forensic examination of the seized goods was still being carried out by police and no charges had yet been laid in relation to those items.

However, the court documents said officers then turned their attention to the Chami family home, where they allegedly uncovered a quantity of cocaine, two electric money counters and a large amount of cash.

A further search of the garage allegedly unearthed $1.3m cash inside a hidden compartment in a second Volkswagen vehicle, which CCTV footage showed had been delivered to the property the day prior and driven into the garage by Ahmed.

Police do not allege and it is not suggested that anyone inside the home other than the three brothers had any knowledge of the seized items.

All four men are due to face Burwood Local Court on April 19.