Nicola Gobbo gave police information to Horty Mokbel and associates
While being their prized informer, Nicola Gobbo was giving crucial police information about gangland investigations and secret surveillance techniques to Tony Mokbel’s brother and his associates.
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Police had evidence their prized informer, Lawyer X, was giving information about gangland investigations and sensitive police surveillance techniques to at least four major drug dealers.
The Lawyer X royal commission was told barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo told Tony Mokbel’s brother Horty and a key Mokbel associate they were being investigated by police.
Police Superintendent Jason Kelly said Gobbo also told Rob Karam, later convicted of what was then the world’s biggest ecstasy haul, that someone had given a statement against an associate.
The inquiry was told police intelligence records showed Gobbo was giving information about police phone tracking capabilities to Mohammed Oueida — a drug dealer linked to Middle Eastern crime gangs.
Geoff Chettle, QC, said Gobbo gave information to Oueida, once described in court proceedings as the new Tony Mokbel.
Mr Chettle, who is representing Gobbo’s handlers, members of Victoria Police’s source development unit, asked Supt Kelly if he had seen the information report as a detective sergeant in the anti-gangland Purana Taskforce.
“Do you recall intelligence going in from the SDU that Ms Gobbo had been providing information to a man called Oueida, in relation to police technology — how phones work, how trackers work, things of that sort?” he said.
While Supt Kelly said he didn’t specifically recall the report, he had received two pieces of intelligence, a year apart, that Gobbo was acting as a double agent and giving information about police investigations to criminals.
“On two separate occasions, approximately one year apart, I received intelligence from two different sources that suggested that perhaps Ms Gobbo was providing information back to criminal entities or established criminal networks,” he said.
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POLICE PLOTTED TO USE GOBBO IN STING
Supt Kelly said in 2006 the Australian Crime Commission had evidence Gobbo told drug trafficker Horty Mokbel and his right-hand man, Toreq Bayeh, they were under investigation.
He said he reported the matter to his superior — detective Inspector Jim O’Brien — who told Gobbo’s handlers.
Supt Kelly said in 2007 he was told Gobbo had told Karam about a man who was providing statements against his associate Ibrahim Kurnaz.
Gobbo was registered as an police informer in 2005 and, despite the double-agent concerns, was not deregistered until 2009.
The commission has been told she provided information to police until 2011.