Frank Monte and son arrested after covert drug squad operation

A six-month covert operation by the Kings Cross Drug Squad has led to the arrest of leading Sydney private eye Frank Monte, as well as his son and another man.

Frank Monte, private investigator.

One of Sydney’s most famous private investigators, Frank Monte, his son James and Robert Moroney the owner of the Captain Paddington have been arrested after a six months covert operation by the Kings Cross drug unit.

Moroney, 49, was allegedly caught in possession of cocaine after police stopped him in his vehicle last month.

During a search of Moroney, his vehicle and hotel room in College Street in the city police seized $1300 cash, mobile phones and 25g of cocaine, which was allegedly found inside a coffee grinder.

He was charged with supplying prohibited drugs of an indictable quantity, and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime. He appeared in the Downing centre Local court last week and was granted bail to appear next year.

Private investigator Frank Monte.

Moroney hit the headlines when he changed the name of his hotel from the Captain Cook to Captain Paddington.

Frank Monte, 76, was arrested on December 14 at his home in McEvoy Street Waterloo.

“In April, officers attached to Kings Cross Police Area Commands Drug Unit commenced an investigation after receiving information related to fraudulent activity occurring at an ATM at Double Bay,’’ a police spokesperson.

“Following extensive inquiries, investigators executed search warrants at a home and a storage unit at Waterloo about 10am on Tuesday, December 14.

During the searches, police seized multiple bank cards, which are suspected to be fraudulent, almost $24,000 in cash, electronic stun devices, ammunition, extendable batons, OC spray, and road spikes, police will allege in court.

Monte was taken to Kings cross police and charged with 23 offences, including dishonestly obtain property by deception, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime, dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception and charges relating to possession of ammunition and a prohibited weapon without a permit.

He has been released on bail and is due to appear at the Downing centre Local Court on January 12.

His son, James Monte, 50, was charged with 120 offences mostly related to drug supply, deal with proceeds of crime and also a weapon and an ammunition offence.

He appeared Downing centre local court last week and granted bail to next appear on March 10, 20022.

The flamboyant Monte claims to have worked with famous celebrities.

Robert Moroney, manager of the Captain Cook Hotel in Paddington, has also been arrested. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A shameless self-promoter, the flamboyant Monte has claimed to have worked for sultans, sheiks and some of the world’s best known celebrities. He claimed he was a bodyguard to murdered fashion icon Gianni Versace.

In a biography titled The Spying Game he falsely claimed that the Versace empire and the death of Gianni Versace was linked to the mafia.

The book was pulped and in 2002 the Versace family took legal action against him in the Australian Federal Court where they were awarded $400,000 for defamation.

On his website he claims he is considered to be the world’s leading private investigator and has been in operation since the late 1960’s.