Ex-Finks OMCG member Mark Principato allegedly caught with coke, cash.
When police pulled over a former Finks bikie and found his licence was invalid, they took him to the station where they allegedly found cocaine and a stash of cash in an odd place.
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A former member of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang, who is accused of extortion and having illegal weapons, allegedly had $850 down his underwear when he was busted by police.
Mark Principato fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 12, having been arrested early in the morning when he was found driving while disqualified in Epping with cocaine on him.
The 31-year-old renderer was allegedly wanted over a stolen goods matter, and was on bail after being accused of extortion and possessing three prohibited weapons.
Senior Constable Danny Schneider told the court Principato was one of three men wearing Finks clothing who took a motorbike from a man after one threatened to shoot him in the head on January 26, 2019.
He said police then uncovered a taser, knuckle duster and flick knife when they searched Principato’s bedroom at his Wollert home on August 8.
Principato was on bail for these charges when police stopped him on High St, Epping, about 2.27am on May 12 and found his licence was invalid.
Sen-Constable Schneider said police found a small amount of cocaine in Principato’s bum bag, which was stashed under the driver’s seat, and found $850 cash in his underwear when he was searched at Mill Park police station.
He said two further ziplock bags of cocaine were then found under the table in the room where Principato was interviewed at the police station.
The court heard Principato was also wanted after a steel saw was allegedly stolen from a Holden ute in Lalor on February 8, which an alleged co-accused had tried to sell on Facebook marketplace.
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Principato, who represented himself in court, denied any involvement with the saw.
“I don’t steal anything, I work,” he said.
He told the court he should be bailed because he needed to work so he could afford his lawyer for his October court date regarding the 2019 charges.
Principato offered to have a curfew and regularly report to police.
Sen-Constable Schneider said Principato was an ex gang member with a cocaine addiction and police were worried he would offend on bail.
Magistrate Helen Murphy said the new charges were not serious offences, and while there was clearly a risk of Principato offending, the risk could be minimised with strict bail conditions.
He was released with a curfew and ordered to report to police twice a week.