Three men charged over the AN0M sting have been released on bail

Incredible allegations have been heard in court about a plan to import methylamphetamine into Australia and the steps police allege were taken to conceal it.

Three men accused of trafficking drugs worth millions have been bailed three years after the global AN0M raids.

That is despite a court hearing there was “strong” evidence against the trio – and more detail of their alleged plot to import “500 kilograms of methylamphetamine into Australia from South Korea”.

Mohenoa Okusitino, from North Gosford, NSW, Edward Lavulo, from Marsden Park, Sydney, and Otenilli Iongi were deemed to have spent an “onerous” time in jail already – largely due to Covid – and that “cannot be ignored”.

The men were among more than 200 people arrested in Australia as part of a worldwide operation involving the AN0M app.

Edward Lavulo. Picture: AFP

AN0M was used by alleged organised crime figures who believed messages were encrypted – in fact it was a trojan horse app developed by the FBI and the Australian Federal Police who were able to read messages as they were being sent.

“The allegation against each applicant, while different, are all extremely serious. In my view, subject to the question of the admissibility of the AN0M evidence, the case against each is very strong,” Justice Hament Dhanji said.

However, the long delay between their arrests in June 2021 and their trial – that has yet to be set – led him to bail them with conditions.

“It is clear that if refused bail the applicants will spend in excess of three and a half years in custody, and probably closer to four years in custody, before their trials commence,” he said.

Covid restrictions had also made their jail time more “onerous” and “cannot be ignored”.

A trial date is yet to be set but is unlikely before the second half of next year as – partly due to dozens of the AN0M accused challenging the admissibility of the AN0M evidence.

Okusitino and Lavulo are charged with conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

Allegations of a plan to flood Australia with meth have been heard in court. Picture: SA Police

Lavulo is also alleged to have benefited from the proceeds of crime of a value of more than a $1 million, while Iongi is charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.

New allegations emerged at the hearing of a drug importing plot called “the Orient” which Justice Dhanji said involved the importation of “500 kilograms of methylamphetamine into Australia from South Korea”.

It was alleged Okusitino and Lavulo joined an AN0M group chat in March 2021 chat to discuss the Orient.

Officials infiltrated an encrypted messaging app called ANoM, opening up close to 25 million messages about drug imports and murder plots in Australia, Asia, South America and the Middle East.

“The importation involved seven separate consignments being delivered to business premises, essentially a warehouse, which had been set up for the purpose by an alleged co-conspirator, Brent McLaughlin. The first three consignments were “dummy runs” and the later four consignments all contained significant qualities of methylamphetamine,” he said.

“On the Crown case, these communications establish that … Okusitino was entrusted with a managerial role within the criminal group, being responsible for providing Mr McLaughlin with direction and instruction,” Justice Dhanji said.

Police allege they discussed tips from freight companies about police interest in the consignments.

Justice Dhanji said: “Following a phone query from the Australian Federal Police to Mr McLaughlin about the consignments, the syndicate, including the applicants, discussed moving the drugs from the warehouse set up by Mr McLaughlin to a different location and developing a cover story to shift law enforcement interest away from them.

“After a raid on the warehouse Okusitino directed, Lavulo to clear McLaughlin’s AN0M device of “any incriminating evidence”.

Police allege they later discussed helping McLaughlin flee and questioned whether insiders were tipping police off to their plans.

Originally published as Three men charged over the AN0M sting have been released on bail