Cops forced to return $90k seized in bikie raids

More than $90,000 in cash was seized from a Hallam gym during raids by the bikie-busting taskforce. But a botched probe means it must be returned.

Victoria Police has been ordered to return $90,000 in cash it seized from the manager of Nitro Gym in Hallam. Picture: Tony Gough

Victoria Police will have to hand back more than $90,000 in cash they seized from the manager of Nitro Gym at Hallam, a business notorious for its links to the Comanchero outlaw bikie gang.

Officers from the bikie-busting Echo taskforce raided Nawid Rashidi’s Cranbourne East home at dawn in November last year, as part of an investigation into an alleged extortion plot.

They seized $94,950, 15 vials of human growth hormones, knuckle dusters, a dagger and a hunting knife, and charged Rashidi with drugs, weapons and tainted cash charges.

He refused to hand over the passcode to his mobile phone, resulting in a further charge.

But the main charge against Rashidi, dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, failed dismally when the case reached court this week.

Rashidi’s barrister Damian Sheales and solicitor Nick Marcevski told Frankston Magistrates’ Court police had no evidence that Rashidi ever committed any lucrative criminal offence.

Nawid Rashidi, 26, the manager of Nitro Gym at Hallam, leaves Frankston Magistrates’ Court after being acquitted. Picture: Craig Dunlop

Rashidi, who had a clean criminal record when he was arrested, told investigators the cash was from the sale of the Nitro Gym franchise at Hallam.

Mr Marcevski also provided detectives with copies of the gym’s bank statements, showing a number of large cash deposits and withdrawals around the time of the raid.

Anti-bikie police have long targeted the gym, which was previously owned by former Comanchero national president Mick Murray.

Company records show the gym is now owned by a relative of gang member Ahmad Niazi, who is facing extortion charges stemming from the November raids, which he intends to fight.

Detectives told the court they did not obtain warrants to seize records from Rashidi’s bank or accountants, effectively meaning they could not rule out whether the bundles of cash in Rashidi’s house came from a legitimate source.

Magistrate Charles Tan said: “There mere possession of a large amount of money, where the person could have deposited that money in a bank account, does not itself give rise to a reasonable suspicion that the money is a proceed of crime”.

The court heard Rashidi had “unexceptional” financial circumstances, having worked since age 15 to support his family. He now manages the gym, which company records show he previously owned.

Mr Tan said police evidence about the sale of the gym was incomplete “speculative”, and that investigators presumed Rashidi had not, in fact, sold the gym.

Mr Tan said it was also “possible that the money might have been accumulated over time, possibly years”.

Rashidi was fined $1500, without conviction, for possessing the weapons and drugs, and was sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order, with conviction and 80 hours of community work, for failing to hand over the pass code to his phone.

Police are expected to return the cash within days.

They were also ordered to pay Rashidi’s legal fees.