Supreme Court restrains alleged drug trafficker Luke Kokotis’s $7.7m property empire and fleet of cars, boats and bikes

Luke Kokotis was living the high life with 19 properties, $450,000 in the bank and a fleet of vehicles including a Lamborghini. Then Operation Ironside detectives came knocking.

When Luke Kokotis was arrested as part of Operation Ironside on June 7, there was no way of knowing that his $7.7m real estate empire already had been frozen.

In the days before his arrest, 19 properties registered in Mr Kokotis’ name, or those of companies linked to him, were restrained by the Supreme Court.

The properties ranged from million-dollar family homes to a motel and a former Port Pirie aged-care home, which is now used to house workers at the local smelter.

The court also froze:

■ Nine cars, including a Lamborghini and two Mercedes-Benz;

■ Two Harley Davidson motorbikes;

■ $456,000 held across 14 bank accounts;

■ A boat and a jet ski;

■ A diamond-encrusted Breitling watch.

Luke Kokotis is now in custody awaiting trial on a serious drugs charge.

* Photos are of the actual seized items unless marked with “File image”. Houses have not been identified for privacy reasons.

Court documents tendered as part of the application to restrain his assets show Mr Kokotis is linked to 11 companies, many of which owned property or held funds in designated bank accounts.

Mr Kokotis is charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

Affidavits attached to the application to restrain his property show Mr Kokotis is accused of being involved in trafficking 1kg of methamphetamine with his co-accused Michael Yamas.

However, during a bail application last week, Magistrate John Wells heard the allegations went deeper than a single transaction.

“The Crown case is that Mr Kokotis is a principal member of a drug syndicate,” a prosecutor said.

“The affidavits allude to some 68 individual instances of high-level offending during the review of the communications.

“In essence, Mr Kokotis is alleged to be a part of what can be described as one of the most serious examples of drug trafficking in this state.”

Luke Kokotis in his black Lamborghini, one of nine cars restrained by a Supreme Court judge following an application from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Kokotis’ lawyer said there were no charges relating to those allegations and urged Mr Wells to consider the lone charge his client was facing.

Mr Kokotis is accused of leaving the drugs in a Toyota Sportivo parked at a Hackham property for Mr Yamas to collect on May 13 this year.

Mr Yamas was stopped on Anzac Highway, Glenelg, where police allege they found 1kg of methamphetamine hidden under the front seat of the car.

The owner of the car who lived at the Hackham property refused to co-operate with police and was charged with failing to answer questions. He has since died.

The court documents allege Mr Kokotis then sent messages to associates saying he had not heard from “Mik” and was worried about what had happened to him.

During a separate bail application in the Adelaide Magistrates Court earlier this month, David Edwardson QC, for Mr Kokotis, said his client ran several businesses.

“He bought a motel in Port Pirie called City Centre Motel,” Mr Edwardson said.

“He then bought an old folks’ home and turned it into a hotel and he now contracts with Nyrstar in Port Pirie. He gets significant sums of money from that contract.

“He is also tied up with a business known as Wallaby Holiday Homes, which is a holiday accommodation business across Adelaide.”

Luke Kokotis in a social media selfie.

Luke Kokotis in another image from social media.

Mr Edwardson said Mr Kokotis outright owned a $1.5m Onkaparinga Hills house, which has been restrained by the court order.

Mr Wells noted the strength of the prosecution case if the evidence was accurate.

“If the warrants are secure and the evidence says what the prosecution says it does then the prosecution case against many of these accused is very strong but we are a long way from that,” Mr Wells said.

Along with the properties, the court also restrained numerous vehicles including the $136,000 black Lamborghini, two Harley Davidson motorbikes and an $85,000 Mercedes Benz G63.

In a second Supreme Court application by prosecutors, Justice Greg Parker restrained $456,000 held across bank accounts in numerous company names as well as a jet ski and trailer.

Justice Parker did not make an order over two bottles of Penfolds Grange found at the Onkaparinga Hills property, noting the application would be disputed.

Mr Wells last week refused to release Mr Kokotis on home-detention bail.

Originally published as Supreme Court restrains alleged drug trafficker Luke Kokotis’s $7.7m property empire and fleet of cars, boats and bikes