Anastasio Giorgi and Marcus Cini charged with cocaine trafficking

A number of witnesses will be called to testify in the matter of two accused coke traffickers with alleged links to organised crime, as the matter heads towards the County Court.

Marcus Cini and Anastasio Giorgi were charged by the AFP for coke trafficking after allegedly being involved in the encrypted app 'Ghost'. Picture: Oscar Jaeger

A number of witnesses are set to be cross-examined to determine whether two men – with alleged links to organised crime – will stand trial for allegedly trafficking coke via the encrypted app Ghost.

Moonee Ponds man Anastasio Giorgi, 26, and Marcus Cini, 26, of Keilor East, appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with drug trafficking.

The men were arrested by the federal police after they executed search warrants at their respective homes in September this year as part of Operation Kraken.

Mr Giorgi was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine and dealing with proceeds of crime, after $30,000 in cash was allegedly found in his bedroom during the police raid in September.

Mr Cini was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity and possessing cocaine.

Marcus Cini and Anastasio Giorgi leaving the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. Picture: Oscar Jaeger

The court heard on Wednesday that Mr Cini would seek to cross-examine five witnesses in the case while Mr Giorgi would seek to examine three witnesses.

Both men were also charged with failing to provide police with passwords for a series of encrypted mobile phones found during the search warrants.

In a bail application last year, police alleged that both men had links to organised crime and had contact with users who used names such as ‘Tony Montana’ and ‘Mr Hollywood’ via the app.

They will both return to court on October 15 for a two-day committal hearing which will determine whether the matter has enough evidence to proceed to the County Court.