Danny Zayneh accused of plot to import $1bn worth of ice and cocaine into Australia

A suspected $1bn drug syndicate ringleader has been deemed too great a flight risk, with his case likened to drug kingpin Tony Mokbel.

Danny Zayneh was arrested as part of a major sting involving the use of encrypted chat app ANOM.

A suspected drug syndicate ringleader accused of being involved in a plot to import $1bn worth of ice and cocaine into Australia has been refused bail for a second time.

Danny Zayneh, 39, was among dozens of people arrested across the globe in June last year as part of a major sting involving the use of encrypted chat app ANOM.

Mr Zayneh made a desperate bid for bail on Monday, citing his family’s health conditions and a delay in court proceedings.

But prosecutors opposed his release, arguing he was too great a flight risk and likened his case to that of drug kingpin Tony Mokbel.

Mokbel infamously fled to Greece in 2006 after being granted bail in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on drug trafficking charges.

Danny Zayneh has had his case compared to drug kingpin Tony Mokbel (pictured). Picture: AFP

He became Australia’s most wanted fugitive and was later found nearly six months later by Greek police in Athens.

Handing down his decision on Friday, Magistrate Timothy Bourke refused bail, agreeing that Mr Zayneh was at risk of flight and offending.

Magistrate Bourke acknowledged Mr Zayneh had spent a “lengthy time” waiting behind bars due to delays in court and that the matter was “complex”.

Defence lawyer Eamonn Kelly previously argued Mr Zayneh should be granted bail to help his wife who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and his mother who has Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

He said the wife will now be unable to look after their five-year-old son who also suffers from mental illness.

Magistrate Bourke accepted the health diagnoses were new factors to consider but ultimately did not outweigh the risk of offending if granted bail.

Mr Zayneh was arrested as part of a major sting involving the use of encrypted chat app ANOM. Picture: AFP

The court previously heard Mr Zayneh had offered a $1.85m surety to secure his release.

But prosecutor Krista Breckweg said the sum paled in comparison to his suspected wealth.

The court heard police had evidence Mr Zayneh used the app to message and meet with co-accused to plan the importation of 1.6 tonnes of drugs from Los Angeles and India.

Police allegedly located firearms and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash at his home, including $7.5 million in assets.

Ms Breckweg said Mr Zayneh remained too great a risk to the community.

“Communications that were captured on ANOM provide overwhelming evidence,” she said.

“(He) has access to encrypted devices which are not capable of supervision or monitoring.”

Mr Kelly said his client’s alleged connections to organised crime were just “speculative” and argued there was “no direct forensic evidence” to link his client to the ANOM messages.

“The data has been aggregated from many insecure sources including unknown third party.”

In a world exclusive the Herald Sun revealed Australian Federal Police, as part of Operation Ironside, had swooped on dozens of people linked to the Mafia, bikies and organised crime after setting up the ANOM app to trick them into thinking their conversations were hidden from authorities.

The alleged plan to import large quantities of drugs by Mr Zayneh and the Melbourne syndicate was among the crimes police say they prevented by monitoring chats on the app.