Melbourne Comanchero treasurer Domenic Luzza crew: Fawzi El Cheikh, Lorenzo Carbone jailed
A Comanchero kingpin who ran an international drug ring wanted to score the big bucks but instead only made it to the big house.
Melbourne City
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A former high-ranking Comanchero bikie who controlled an international drug-smuggling syndicate linked to underworld violence has been jailed.
Domenic Luzza, 30, was sentenced in the County Court on Tuesday to a minimum four-year jail term after pleading guilty to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
Luzza, who also pleaded guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs, was nabbed after police launched “Echo-Maine 2018” to snare the Comanchero Victorian treasurer.
The lengthy covert op established that Luzza imported and trafficked various drugs including MDMA, ketamine and 100kg of meth precursor ‘MAPA”.
The MAPA could have yielded 80kg of high-grade worth tens of millions of dollars had it hit the streets.
Luzza also attempted to import 200kg of 1,4 butanediol – a legal industrial cleaner that turns into GHB when ingested.
Luzza shopped around for the best prices on Chinese factory produced analog drugs, including methyl alpha-acetophenylacetate (MAPA), fluorodeschloroketamine and MDMA mirror Eutylone.
He was linked with a Hong Kong middleman who provided a full service one-stop shop for overseas traffickers.
The service included packaging and shipping the drugs to Australia disguised as eyelash curlers and other items.
Fraudulent paperwork, fake addresses and bogus tracking and consignment numbers were all included.
El Cheikh, on Luzza’s orders, enlisted syndicate goon Koray Biricik to collect a methyl alpha-acetophenylacetate consignment.
The court heard Biricik firebombed a Reservoir man’s car who owed the crew a drug debt.
The victim was also shot at twice- struck four times — in a three-day period.
Officers from Echo, the ABF and the AFP’s national anti-gang task force monitored spy cameras and bus installed multiple properties and vehicles including Luzza’s Docklands’ apartment.
Luzza’s syndicate used false names and addresses and encrypted phone apps in an attempt to keep their clandestine operation hidden from police.
Police listened, via a device installed in Luzza’s apartment, while the Comanchero boss discussed drug business with syndicate lieutenants including Fawzi El Cheikh and Lorenzo Carbone.
Investigators also intercepted conversations between Luzza and his girlfriend Christina Bailey.
Luzza was captured on camera weighing, mixing and preparing drugs for sale and counting money.
Police also observed while Luzza retrieved cash from a wall cavity behind a clock and drugs hidden in the false bottom of a Pedigree dog food can and a cereal box.
Luzza was also recorded having a conversation with fugitive Comanchero boss Hasan Topal in which the pair discussed how the government could not monitor encrypted telecommunication services.
Luzza and Bailey were also recorded discussing an upcoming trip to Europe.
The court heard Luzza accessed cash for the trip from a “secret box”.
Luzza was also recorded instructing key henchman Carbone how to take over the operation while overseas.
Luzza was recorded telling an associate they needed to fly to Europe to meet Topal to give him “$10,000” each because he was “red hot”.
The pair later met Topal – on the run for suspected murders – in Europe.
Investigators observed Luzza receive fluordeschloroketamine at his Docklands’ apartment on August 1, 2019.
Luzza was captured on spy cameras weighing and mixing the drugs before delivering the gear to an unknown third-party outside the apartment block.
Luzza and Bailey also argued about his decision to become a patched Comanchero.
“You were always a leader and now you’re a follower,” Luzza said.
Police also intercepted a Wickr conversation in which Luzza discussed an MDMA deal on September 11, 2019.
Luzza was helping an associate source some ‘Blue Grenades’ (MDMA).
A few days before the deal Luzza obtained 1kg of a substance he described to be ‘MD’.
Luzza was caught with steroids and $20,000 cash after he was arrested waiting for a pizza at Caroline Springs on September 11, 2019.
Police seized 929.9 grams of eutylone (MD) and multiple mobile phones after raiding Carbone’s Hillside home the next day.
El Cheikh, who also pleaded guilty to multiple theft charges, was linked to various stolen luxury vehicles with cloned number plates.
El Cheikh, who was also nabbed with cocaine at his home, was jailed in May this year for a maximum 20 months with a minimum of ten months.
Carbone, 32, was sentenced earlier this year to a maximum five years and six months with a minimum of four years after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.
The court heard Carbone was “intrigued” by his family’s links to the Mafia, had a $200,000 debt, was addicted gambling and joined Luzza’s operation because needed money.
Biricik, 24, was sentenced earlier this year to a maximum three years and 11 months with a minimum two years after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and arson.
Bailey, who supported Luzza in court, and Matthew Gray were dealt with at the Magistrates’ court.
Luzza was jailed for a maximum seven years.
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