World’s biggest ecstasy bust: Bikie John Higgs fails appeal bid

A NOTORIOUS bikie jailed for 18 years after being caught in the world’s biggest ecstasy bust in 2007 has lost a bid to appeal his sentence and conviction.

A NOTORIOUS bikie jailed for 18 years after being caught in what was the world’s biggest ecstasy bust in 2007 has lost an application to appeal his sentence and conviction.

John Higgs, who is a founding member of the Melbourne chapter of Black Uhlans bikie gang, was sentenced in April 2013 to 18 years in jail with a non-parole period of 14 years.

His mate, Calabrian mafia boss Pasquale Barbaro, pleaded guilty and was jailed for life with a minimum 30 years for his role in the crime, which involved 15 million ecstasy tablets with a street value of $450 million.

The bust at the time was the world’s biggest for ecstasy seizures.

The drugs were hidden in tomato cans delivered to Melbourne by ship from Naples.

Higgs was found guilty by a jury of conspiring to possess the smuggled ecstasy.

Higgs was one of the criminals who organised the burglary of the Victoria Police drug squad in 1996 so he could identify and try to kill an informer.

Higgs has a heavy history with the authorities.

He had been previously jailed over a $400 million amphetamine ring.

In arguing to appeal, Higgs complained the judge had misdirected the jury on two occasions and therefore was subject to an unreasonable verdict.

He also complained that the judge got his sentence wrong.

The Court of Appeal disagreed on all fronts.

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