Baris Goktas in court on drug trafficking charges

The Melbourne mastermind behind the seizure of nearly $8m in cash and a stash of drugs seized in major police raids after a year-long investigation has fronted court.

The key player involved in the trafficking of a commercial quantity of ice and coke from a Port Melbourne townhouse that was raided following a year-long police investigation has admitted his role in the offending.

Baris Goktas admitted to charges of trafficking in methamphetamine, cocaine and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and fronted the County Court for a plea hearing on Wednesday.

Police said the $7.7m in cash recovered from Goktas’ three bedroom Turville Pl rented townhouse at Port Melbourne in early 2020 was one of the largest seized by organised crime investigators in Melbourne in recent history.

Investigators also seized two vehicles, a pill press, a handgun, a substantial quantity of glassware and precursor chemicals.

Police outside Baris Goktas’ Turville Place, Port Melbourne apartment after the discovery of an illegal drug lab. Picture : NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Two others involved in the criminal enterprise have been sentenced on less serious charges.

Prosecutor Matt Cookson said Gorkas was the main offender who controlled the manufacture of significant quantities of meth and its distribution.

He said apart from a townhouse at Port Melbourne, a storage shed and two other properties across Melbourne were used for drug trafficking.

Police recovered $23 kilograms of meth from the townhouse and another property, 260 grams of cocaine and $7.7m in cash.

Goktas – who used the alias of Barry – told neighbours at Port Melbourne where he was cooking meth that he was a panel beater and had registered a business named Sippy Bean.

He will return to court on August 6 for sentencing.