Lone Wolf bikie Elias Elchaar denied bail after judge praises AN0M app

The national sergeant-at-arms of the Lone Wolf bikie gang was denied bail today after he was accused of moving $8 million in drug profits in an international ring using a phone app.

A high-ranking bikie has been refused bail for a second time after a NSW Supreme Court judge remarked that the AN0M app has been used “as a revelation” by police to target serious organised crime across the country.

Lawyers for Elias Elchaar, 49, of Fig Tree, who the court heard is the national sergeant-at-arms of the Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang, pushed for his release on Thursday after he was accused of moving $8 million in drug profits before being arrested in the international sting.

Elias Elchaar is the national sergeant-at-arms of the Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang.

It was revealed last month that the Australian Federal Police and the FBI were secretly behind AN0M, a phone app in which users thought they were having private conversations that were actually being monitored in real time by detectives.

In denying Elchaar bail, Justice Robert Hulme said the prosecution had alleged he was involved in sophisticated criminal activity with other members of a syndicate who thought they were speaking covertly on the AN0M app.

“They communicated by way of group chats using the AN0M app and they spoke relatively freely on the misperception that the communications were encrypted,“ the judge said.

“The AN0M app was used as a revelation to law enforcement agencies (in targeting) some serious criminality in Australia and including in this instance.

“It is contended that (Elchaar’s) involvement was at a high level, that he played an important and senior role.”

The court was told Elchaar, who is charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime, was allegedly involved in moving a crate containing ice to Perth and in return a large amount of money was packed back into the crate and returned to Sydney.

Justice Hulme said indications in the messages between members of the alleged syndicate were that the amount of money involved was $8 million.

An Aussie federal agent also alleged in documents that during the probe into Elchaar it was identified the Lone Wolf gang, their associates and Italian organised crime members were involved in trafficking drugs and laundering money between NSW and South Australia, the court heard.

The court was told it was alleged some of these people were planning to import 1500 kgs of cocaine from South American into Australia but that the prosecution did not allege Elichaar was involved in that.

Elichaar, who had a baby with his beauty therapist wife last March and who was earlier denied bail last month, will remain behind bars until he reappears in court at a later date.