Plot by Melbourne drug syndicate to import $1bn worth of ice foiled
A Melbourne father arrested as part of the AN0M app sting has been refused bail over his alleged involvement in a plot to import $1 billion worth of drugs.
Police & Courts
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A Melbourne father accused of being involved in a plot to import $1 billion worth of ice and cocaine from Los Angeles and India has had his bail refused.
Magistrate Timothy Bourke told Mark Joannou on Thursday his bail application was “premature” and that he would not be freed.
Mr Joannou, 41, was among dozens of people arrested across the globe earlier this week as part of a major sting involving the use of encrypted chat app, AN0M.
The Herald Sun revealed in a world exclusive on Monday that 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 app to trick them into thinking their conversations were secreted from authorities.
The alleged drug importation plot by a Melbourne organised crime syndicate was among the crimes police say they foiled by monitoring chats on the app.
In Mr Joannou’s application for bail in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the court heard the Sydenham father was an “investor” in the drug ring.
The AFP allege he conspired with suspected syndicate ringleader Danny Zayneh on the encrypted AN0M app to import about 1.6 tonnes of ice and cocaine between April and June this year.
Not knowing police were reading every word they wrote, Mr Joannou, known as “wolf” on the network, allegedly openly discussed plans to import 400kg of ice from India. Police allege he stood to profit $16,000 per kilo.
The court heard Mr Zayneh bragged to Mr Joannou how recent illicit imports had been missed by authorities in a series of messages on the app on the afternoon of April 7.
“Bro, as an example, yeah, we landed twice this past six months,” Mr Zayneh wrote.
“They knew nothing. And we will f---ing land three more times, bro. Watch.”
Mr Joannou replied: “Yeah, I know bro. Just stay safe.”
“Always,” Mr Zayneh said.
On May 3, Mr Zayneh confirmed with Mr Joannou how much he wanted to invest in the LA venture, with Mr Zayneh promoting it as a “good opportunity”.
“F--k, hope it’s a good one this time bro,” Mr Joannou allegedly wrote.
Mr Zayneh: “It is bro. We are working with the cartel.”
The court heard Mr Joannou was an “investor” and involved co-accused Joe Scordo and Sebastian Bezborodoff.
Detective Senior Constable Cassi Bond, from the AFP, told the court Mr Scordo, 51, from Deer Park, was “the main door” for the importation, as they planned to use his international car dealership in Sunshine West as a front to import drugs concealed in tyre rims.
She said Mr Zayneh was the ringleader, Omar Dib was his “lieutenant” and Robin Reffo was “one of the so-called workers”.
All six have been charged with conspiring to import a large commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.
“The overall conspiracy in relation to the two drug imports was to import around 1.6 tonnes of border controlled substances,” Detective Bond said, adding, “a street value has been put on that of around $1bn.”
She said the AFP suspected Mr Joannou was also evading tax, having discussions on the AN0M app about how his bath and shower business makes about $160,000 a year in cash, and how he had purchased it through illegitimate means.
When police raided his Sydenham home on Monday, they found a loaded firearm and $30,000 cash concealed in the walls of his bathroom.
A further search of the walls in the rest of the house uncovered about $400,000.
Mr Bourke, an experienced magistrate, told Mr Joannou on Thursday that he would had not reached the exceptional circumstances hurdle to be bailed, despite arguments by his lawyer that his case could face lengthy delays due to Covid, and that he has strong ties to the community, including his heavily pregnant wife and young child, and his business.
“This is serious offending,” Mr Bourke said.
Mr Bourke oversaw more than a dozen cases of accused from Operation Ironside, in the Melbourne online court on Monday and Tuesday.
Among those were Luke Jolly-Bishop, 28, of Hampton Park, Christian Taumoefolau, 31, of Thornhill Park, Muhammed Topal, 25, and Steven Tiburcy, 43, from Gisborne, Eren Kaya, 28, of Thomastown, Fagofie Tufuga, 24, of Mickleham, George Afeaki, 26, of Tottenham, and Emiljan Hamataj, 39, from Glen Waverley.
They are not linked to the $1bn drug plot, but were charged with offences including guns and drugs trafficking, money laundering and dealing in proceeds of crime.
It is alleged nine Comanchero bikies, including the gang’s sergeant-at-arms, were among 32 people arrested in recent days in Victoria.
Assistant Police Commissioner Robert Hill said the arrests would have damaged the trust within the gang.
“I’ve got no doubt it will take them many years to again be on that scene of serious organised crime in the future,” Mr Hill said.
“But I can assure that this has stopped that particular group in its tracks.”
Mr Hill said information from AN0M had been used to avert several turf war murders in Victoria.
Police had been able to uncover plots by setting alerts for the use of certain words that might indicate a hit was being planned.
They detected high-level suspects based overseas directing “minions” in Melbourne to carry out crimes, Mr Hill said.
He said it had also led to the bust of a MDMA lab in country Victoria where a pill press was found.
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