Tony Mokbel posed as builder seeking, ‘brick-cleaning’ chemicals

The man who’s factory was taken over by drug kingpin Tony Mokbel, has revealed that Tony Mokbel posed as a builder wearing a bum bag in their first bizarre meeting — this is why.

Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel posed as a builder when he walked into a cleaning business in search of “pure” chemicals to clean his bricks.

Business owner “Mr Bickley” told the Lawyer X royal commission he had no idea who the “tradie” was when they first met, but he soon learned his new customer’s real identity.

Their 2004 meeting would set in motion a chain of events which would lead him to meet gangland lawyer turned police informer, Nicola Gobbo.

Mr Bickley said his initial reaction was “fear, honestly”, when he googled Mokbel’s name after he came looking for restricted chemicals to make drugs with.

Before long, the man’s factory was taken over by Mokbel’s illegal drug enterprise.

By then a “mutual respect” had developed between the men, the commission heard.

Tony Mokbel with Nicola Gobbo.

In 2005, months into the business relationship, Mr Bickley was arrested.

Yesterday he claimed police had suggested he ring Nicola Gobbo for legal advice.

It was a month before the barrister was officially registered as a police informer.

“My recollection is that a phone number was called by (Detective) Rowe who handed the phone to me,” Mr Bickley said.

He told the closed hearing it was the first time he had heard Gobbo’s name, later rejecting suggestions Mokbel had told him to call her.

Mr Bickley said he was ­initially “steadfast” in his ­refusal to co-operate with police out of loyalty to Mokbel.

Mr Bickley was charged with trafficking a big quantity of ecstasy and was released on bail after 23 days in custody, with the help of Gobbo.

The commission heard Mokbel would pat Mr Bickley down during meetings and told him he would “look after his family” and pay his legal bills.

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But Mr Bickley said the ­inference was that in return he would keep his mouth shut.

Both Mokbel and Gobbo had encouraged him to plead guilty, Mr Bickley said. In early 2006, Gobbo handed Mr Bickley a mobile phone, encouraging him to set up a meeting with a Mokbel associate.

Mr Bickley had no idea the man he was meeting was also Gobbo’s client — and was wearing a wire. The two were recorded discussing producing more drugs. Mr Bickley was ­arrested days later, and later given a three-year suspended jail term for trafficking.

The hearing continues.