Accused drug traffickers Xavier Gavin, Ross Finnigan and Steven Tiburcy charged after AN0M raids

A Lower Templestowe businessman accused of pushing drugs including 40,000 ecstasy tablets has failed in his bid for freedom.

Xavier Gavin has been charged with trafficking cocaine, MDMA and ketamine. Facebook.

A Lower Templestowe businessman implicated in a massive drug racket after he was allegedly swept up in the worldwide Operation Ironside AN0M sting will remain behind bars.

Xavier Gavin, 26, was denied bail in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after he was charged multiple offences including trafficking a large commercial quantity of cocaine, MDMA, ketamine

It’s alleged Gavin and co-accused Ross Finnigan, 35 and Steven Tiburcy, 43, were involved in a large-scale drug racket.

Drug Taskforce detectives allegedly caught Gavin with drugs, more than $130,000 cash, almost 3kg of cannabis, a Nano S cryptocurrency digital wallet and four one-ounce gold bullion bars after he was arrested at his Lower Templestowe home on June 7 this year.

Investigators pieced their case together through extensive communication intercepts which allegedly caught the racket discussing high-level drug deals.

Gavin, Finnigan and Tiburcy were allegedly linked to a 2kg coke deal, a 1.5kg Ketamine deal and two MDMA deals for 40,000 ecstasy tablets.

AXG Investments company director Gavin, who also worked as an “art courier, had a “focused ability” to conceal wealth and income, the court was told.

The prosecution submitted Gavin demonstrated a “continued propensity” to involve himself in “large-scale” trafficking.

The court heard Gavin was not known to be linked to the bikie gangs or organised crime rackets allegedly caught up in the worldwide sting spearheaded by the FBI.

Gavin was supported for his bail application by his father Bernard Gavin who indicated he would have put his Springvale home on the line for a $200,000 surety.

Mr Gavin also told the court that he had already paid for residential drug rehabilitation placement if his son was granted bail.

However, Mr Gavin was unaware his son, who has a doctor and a top accountant as siblings, was using speed and MDMA at least “three times a week” since the age of 18.

Finnigan, a Victoria University paramedicine student, was denied bail last week after Magistrate Timothy Bourke said he believed there was a “pretty strong” case to answer.

Finnigan, who was arrested at his Docklands apartment on May 26, is alleged to have trafficked more than 50kg of cocaine, 30kg of MDMA, a kilo of meth and more than 10kg of ketamine.

Police alleged Finnigan took part in transactions worth $5,925,500 between April 7 and May 21.

Finnigan was also allegedly nabbed with a loaded gun, knuckledusters, $830,000 cash, 5kg of cocaine, MDMA, speed and a stack of basketball cards believed to be the proceeds of crime.

Investigators tracked Finnigan and others in the alleged syndicate – including Gavin and Tiburcy – as they conducted drug deals at various Melbourne locations including Melton Bunnings and a Chemist Warehouse.

Tiburcy, a Gisborne father of two, briefly appeared at court on Thursday to withdraw his application for bail.

Tiburcy was allegedly linked to a deal where Gavin wanted to purchase large amounts of cocaine and ecstasy which included orange ‘Heineken’ and yellow ‘Red Bull’ tablets.

Tiburcy, who was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of cocaine, meth, ketamine and MDMA, won a costs order for today’s abandoned bail application.

Tiburcy is also accused of possessing a pill press at a property at Bendigo suburb Strathfieldsaye.

Magistrate Bourke denied Gavin’s bail application.

Gavin was remanded to face court again in September.

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