Bikies, alleged drug traffickers and organised crime figures fight back against ‘sting of the century’ evidence

Nearly 40 accused criminals, including Comanchero boss Mark Buddle, have appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to challenge evidence obtained through the encrypted app AN0M.

Dozens of Victorian bikies, alleged drug traffickers and organised crime figures charged in the “sting of the century” after using the encrypted app AN0M are challenging the evidence obtained by the covert police operation.

The AFP and FBI secretly worked together for three years on the platform to be able to decrypt and read millions of messages between members of the criminal underworld.

The sting, dubbed Operation Ironside, saw authorities swoop on hundreds of alleged criminals across the country in June 2021 before they revealed the app was a ruse.

Nearly 40 accused fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday for the first day of a committal hearing, which is estimated to run for several weeks.

While dozens streamed into the packed courtroom to sit shoulder to shoulder, several of the accused who have been refused bail appeared via video link from prison.

Among the accused were Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle, sergeant-at-arms Christian Taumoefolau, senior member Eren Kaya and associate Tevita Ofahengaue.

Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle.

Comanchero sergeant-at-arms Christian Taumoefolau. Picture: Ian Currie

Danny Zayneh, who police allege is the powerful Australian head of a transnational organised crime syndicate, and three of his co-accused – fighter Omar Dib, tradie Robin Reffo and Mark Joannou – were also present.

Other accused include Sebastian Bezborodoff, Michael Bitsaya, Cihat Yilmaz, Paul Strangio and Jaiden Russell.

Omar Dib.

Robin Reffo.

The hearing, which will test the evidence against all 39 accused, is expected to centre around the AN0M app and whether the correct warrants were obtained for its operation.

Android smartphones with AN0M installed were seeded to unsuspecting criminals who were unaware the app was run by law enforcement agencies.

Keith Fell, who worked at AFP as a digital forensics examiner, was called as the first witness and told the court he was tasked with examining two devices with the app installed.

When asked whether he had seen a platform like AN0M before, Mr Fell said he had not.

“It’s unique. Nothing I’ve come across before,” he replied.

He said phones with AN0M installed had been modified and would only allow the user to do “very simple” things, such as send messages and take photos, but not browse the web.

“They don’t have all the functionalities of a normal phone,” he said.

He also confirmed that a pin code was required to access the messaging app, which was designed to look like a calculator app to avoid suspicion.

From there, the user could decide how often they wanted their messages to delete themselves, not realising the messages were being automatically duplicated and sent to police.

AFP superintendent Robert Dzaja, who was involved in Operation Ironside for 18 months, told the court its intention was to “capture and gain evidence”.

He also agreed that the platform could be described as “novel”.

“It was something unique that hadn’t been done before,” he said.

The Herald Sun applied for the charge sheets for each accused but the application was adjourned to be considered on Tuesday.

However, it is understood several accused have been charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of drugs or conspiring to import a commercial quantity of drugs.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski will determine at the conclusion of the hearing whether there is sufficient evidence to commit the accused to stand trial in a higher court.

The hearing continues.