Melbourne Boutique nightclub boss Samuel ‘Sammy’ Prosser cops tobacco import conspiracy charge
The ex-boss of Chapel St hotspot Boutique was smoked out for an alleged illegal tobacco scheme after he was swept up in a global crime investigation.
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A former Melbourne nightclub king has been implicated in an illegal tobacco conspiracy after he was allegedly smoked out via a global organised crime investigation.
Ex-Boutique boss Samuel ‘Sammy’ Prosser, 36, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with conspiracy to import tobacco products.
It’s alleged Mr Prosser and co-accused Joseph Hosri “co-ordinated” a plot to import 7,460,000 illegal cigarettes into Australia via India and Vietnam.
Authorities estimated a $10m tax loss was on the cards if the cigarettes had made it to the country and sold illegally at street level.
Australian Federal Police arrested Mr Prosser and Mr Hosri after investigators executed search warrants at South Yarra and Fraser Rise on September 17.
Investigators allegedly seized $60,000 cash, encrypted communications devices, mobile phones and laptops from multiple properties.
Mr Prosser and Mr Hosri, 32, who was also charged with conspiracy to import tobacco products, allegedly communicated with “criminal entities” via encrypted communications app ‘Ghost’.
Investigators launched Operation Kraken to help snare the pair and other alleged criminals and drug syndicates who had used the encrypted app.
Mr Prosser and Mr Hosri, who police alleged were in a “criminal plot”, were pinched
after the AFP “disrupted the Ghost app and obtained intelligence”.
Mr Prosser, a known heavyweight in nightclub circles, used to run iconic Chapel St nightclub Boutique which was renamed The Greville under his stewardship.
The famed Prahran nightclub which has hosted overseas stars such as Jason Derulo was shot up in 2016 under the ownership of the late Darren ‘Razzle’ Thornburgh.
Mr Prosser, who grew up in the bayside suburb of Brighton, was also heavily involved with Toorak nightclub Trak, which on Thursdays hosted a weekly event known as ‘The Ritz’.
It’s understood Mr Prosser now operates a timber business.
Mr Prosser, of South Yarra, and Mr Hosri, of Wollert, had their bail extended to front court at a later date.
Operation Kraken exploded late last week after the AFP revealed the alleged mastermind who created Ghost was one of dozens arrested in raids across the country.
The NSW man, 32, was charged with creating and administering Ghost which the AFP alleged was “built solely for the criminal underworld”.
About 700 AFP members executed search warrants and provided support during “two days of action” across the country on September 17 and 18.
According to the AFP, “near-simultaneous police action” was “undertaken in Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Canada”.
The AFP, which claimed “more Australian and international arrests are expected over the coming days”, alleged local Ghost users trafficked drugs, laundered money and ordered killings or threatened serious violence.
It’s alleged the suspected Ghost administrator used a network of resellers to offer “specialised handsets” to criminals across the globe.
The handsets, which are modified smart phones, sold for about $2350 and included a “six-month subscription to an encrypted network and tech support”.
The AFP alleged there were 376 active handsets in Australia.
Authorities claimed Ghost was created “about nine years ago” but “the opportunity for law enforcement to target the platform arose in 2022”.
Europol established a global taskforce led by the FBI and French Gendarmerie.
The taskforce also included the AFP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Swedish Police Authority, Dutch National Police, Irish Garda Síochána and the Italian Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Service.
However, it was the AFP which developed a “covert solution to infiltrate Ghost”.
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