Danny Zayneh bailed as he awaits trial for his alleged role in an AN0M drug importation sting

A Werribee dad accused of plotting a major drug importation allegedly told associates on the AN0M encrypted messaging app he intended to flee Australia.

An accused Melbourne drug kingpin has been freed on bail despite allegations he has $5m in hidden cash and told associates he planned to flee the country.

A multimillion-dollar property portfolio, luxury cars, designer watches and large sums of cash were among the assets seized from Danny Zayneh, 40, as he awaits trial over his alleged role in the massive AN0M drug importation sting.

Prosecutors say the Werribee father is the “Australian head of a transnational organised crime syndicate” which conspired to import a ton of methamphetamine and 600kg of cocaine, in addition to trafficking smaller quantities of drugs.

Had the importations been successful, it’s alleged they would have netted a wholesale price between $186m and $700m.

Danny Zayneh was allegedly involved in a massive AN0M drug importation sting.

Mr Zayneh, who faces life behind bars if convicted, has been held in custody for more than three years since his arrest.

But he was last week released on bail after his lawyers argued in the Supreme Court the evidence against him was weak and he was to unlikely to face trial until at least 2026 due to the complexity of the case.

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

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

Large sums of cash were among the assets seized from Mr Zayneh.

But prosecutors opposing last week’s bail application alleged he still had $5m “in stook”.

They also alleged he told associates on the AN0M encrypted messaging app he intended to flee Australia, discussed with his brother which countries Australia did not have an extradition treaty with and applied for an urgent passport shortly before his arrest.

Justice James Elliott said the evidence indicated Mr Zayneh would have access to “substantial resources” and had “connections with serious organised criminal groups and contacts in overseas jurisdictions” if he were released.

But the judge said the delay of Mr Zayneh’s trial was so “intolerable” that any flight risk he posed could no longer be described as unacceptable, noting it was possible his trial may not commence until 2027.

“Even on the most favourable estimate, the delay in this case is as unacceptable as it is extraordinary,” he said in his ruling.

He granted bail with strict conditions including that Mr Zayneh not leave his apartment complex other than to use a communal gym or for court hearings, wear an electronic monitoring device and pay and arrange for geo-fencing technology.

A $1.78m surety from Mr Zayneh’s family was also provided to the court.

Mr Zayneh has applied for bail four times since his June 2021 arrest, taking his bid for freedom to the Court of Appeal and High Court, both of which refused to hear his application.

More than 40 Victorians were nabbed in Operation Ironside, after Australian Federal Police gained access to AN0M and were able to decrypt and read communications between members of the criminal underworld.

Many have challenged the legality of the intercepted messages, and a County Court judge last year said he expected litigation to reach the High Court, posing further delays to criminal trials.