Mick Gatto’s son-in-law Danny Awad convicted over coke haul
The son-in-law of Mick Gatto has been found guilty over a $12 million drug haul. The decision sparked emotional scenes, with some people in court becoming hysterical as the jury returned its verdict.
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The son-in-law of gangland identity Mick Gatto has been convicted over a $12 million cocaine haul.
The conviction sparked emotional scenes inside Melbourne’s County Court today after a jury found Danny Awad and John Tambakakis guilty of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of drugs.
Awad is married to Gatto’s daughter Sarah.
She was in court when the jury returned its verdict following two days of deliberations.
While she remained calm in court others became hysterical at the verdict.
Gatto was not in court for the verdict but was on hand to console Sarah as she left the court precinct.
Attempts to approach Gatto outside court were blocked by an associate.
Awad and Tambakakis were convicted of trying to possess a 22kg importation of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value between $4 million and $5 million.
Prosecutors argued the street value of the shipment was estimated at double that.
It was never alleged the pair had any involvement in the importation of the massive haul.
They were arrested in 2017 after an investigation by Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.
Tambakakis had used a false name to rent an Airport West warehouse in October 2015.
He also developed a plan to use the warehouse to facilitate the trafficking of cocaine, imported from Mexico.
The cocaine was hidden in a consignment of 5 Xerox multifunction printers.
Awad had kept abreast of the proposed delivery time of the consignment and oversaw its delivery.
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Once the consignment was in the warehouse, Awad and Tambakakis used an electronic scanner in an attempt to discover any surveillance devices hidden inside.
Awad had with him a vacuum sealer and plastic bags, to be used to repackage the cocaine.
But the plan was unfolding under the watch of police who had planted a listening device inside one of the printers.
Once they unpacked that printers and realised the cocaine had been seized, Awad and Tambakakis drove from the warehouse, and dumped a van which had transported the consignment.
They were arrested shortly after.
Both Awad and Tambakakis, who had been on bail during the five week trial, were today remanded in custody.
Awad’s connection to Gatto was suppressed during the trial but Judge Mark Dean today lifted that suppression.
The pair will return to court in November for a pre sentence plea hearing.