Danny Zayneh: Accused drug kingpin’s wealth exposed

From gold bars to designer watches and large sums of cash, the wealth an accused Melbourne drug kingpin has been laid out in court.

The suspected wealth of alleged drug kingpin Danny Zayneh has been revealed in court.

The suspected wealth of an accused Melbourne drug kingpin and allegations of $5m in hidden cash have been exposed in court hearings.

A property portfolio worth millions, big chunks of cash, luxury cars and designer watches were among property Danny Zayneh, 39, fought to have returned as he awaits trial over his alleged role in a massive AN0M drug importation sting.

Police say he had the “apex role” in a major transnational drug syndicate which plotted to import vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The County Court last year heard Zayneh’s assets were frozen including six townhouses from the same complex in Pascoe Vale, a 2017 Range Rover, a 1998 Walkinshaw Holden, nearly $400,000 held in three bank accounts and about $80,000 cash found hidden inside a coffee machine.

A number of gold bars and designer watches including a Rolex, Richard Mille and an Audemars Piguet were also seized.

Several gold bars were seized as part of a police investigation. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

High end designer watches were among items seized as Danny Zayneh’s wealth was revealed.

Some of the assets were held by companies Zayneh was a director of or jointly owned with a woman named Agnes Szwedzik.

Zayneh was arrested as part of the international Ironside police operation which made hundreds of arrests related to organised crime figures’ use of the AN0M encrypted app.

He faces charges over an alleged conspiracy to import and traffic drugs worth up to $700m.

In the Court of Appeal last month Zayneh made a fourth bid for freedom as he tried to have a rejected bail application overturned.

In opposing the appeal, police outlined more allegations about his personal circumstances.

They alleged Zayneh and co-conspirators planned in 2021 to import 600kg of meth and 600kg of cocaine from the United States and 400kg of methamphetamine from India.

He is also charged with trafficking 4kg of meth in Melbourne in 2021 with a firearms count over a Glock 17 pistol found at his home when a warrant was carried out on June 7, 2021.

If granted bail, prosecutors said Zayneh had a strong motive to flee, noting he had an “apex” role in the syndicate.

It was also alleged that there was evidence he had discussions about how five-figure sums of money would be provided to his family monthly if he left for a country with which Australia has no extradition treaty.

Police alleged Zayneh had $5m hidden in a “stook”, on top of $7.5 million in assets seized by authorities after his arrest.

In his bid for release, Zayneh said a $2.29m surety was available and that he was prepared to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

Other undertakings he offered included the surrender of family members’ passports, he be allowed only one analog mobile phone and that he not leave Melbourne.

An assurance could also be provided from an employer that he would go to police within 60 minutes of Zayneh not reporting for work.

Zayneh also said he had a six-year-old son and noted his six co-accused had been previously granted bail.

Those men are Omar Dib, Joe Scordo, Mark Joannou, Sebastian Bezborodoff, Robin Reffo and Joe Kasalo.

But justices Kristen Walker, Lesley Taylor and Christopher Boyce dismissed the appeal, finding he posed an “unacceptable” flight risk.

They noted it was unlikely Zayneh would go to trial before 2025, by which time he would have been in custody for four years.