Jim Soukoulis’ crime connections examined while manhunt continues
A man who fled Melbourne while awaiting trial for his involvement in planning to import $250 million of ice into the country is believed to be very well connected to organised crime.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A fugitive accused of involvement in a $250 million ice importation plot is suspected of links to powerful Hells Angels and organised crime figures.
Melbourne man Jim Soukoulis, 54 — who put his freedom ahead of his mother’s home when he bolted from authorities last year — is at the centre of a police manhunt.
He fled while on bail over his alleged involvement in a plot to fly 250kg of ice from California to Australia in a light plane.
US court documents outline claims Soukoulis financed the purchase of the aircraft and drugs, which were to be crammed into the plane and brought to Australia via an island-hopping Pacific Ocean route.
Federal agent Greg Hinds, based in the AFP’s organised crime unit in Sydney, told the Sunday Herald Sun Soukoulis had connections across Australia and overseas.
“Prior to his bail conditions being imposed he was a regular traveller between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide,” he said.
“He regularly travelled to Thailand. He has family who reside in Adelaide and he has family connections in Greece.”
As part of his bail conditions a $900,000 security was posted, including $600,000 against Soukoulis’s mother’s home.
The AFP has been in regular contact with members of his family and friends to try to find him.
CCTV caught him at his South Melbourne apartment building at 7.36am on November 12 last year.
“The AFP, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, (made) an application to the County Court in the form of a bail surety forfeiture hearing,” federal agent Hinds said.
“That occurred in January 2020. The court found that the surety should be forfeited, however, that order was stayed for a period of six months.”
The sister-in-law of drug kingpin Tony Mokbel lost a property put up in her name when Mokbel skipped the country while on bail in 2006. The Brunswick home was later found to be part of a Mokbel family trust.
Soukoulis withdrew more than $8000 before his vanishing act in November. He made two withdrawals of $3000 and one of $2100 from an ATM in South Melbourne.
“I would characterise those withdrawals as suspicious,” federal agent Hinds said.
Soukoulis may have changed his appearance to outfox police.
“There are a million ways someone may go about that,” federal agent Hinds said.
MORE NEWS:
UNIQUE PIECE OF GANGLAND WAR HISTORY SAVED
MAN SHOT BY POLICE IN MCDONALDS CARPARK
In December 2018, investigators on the case raided the waterfront Sydney home of Hells Angels national president Angelo Pandeli.
Pandeli, 48, is considered one of the most powerful men in the outlaw motorcycle gang hierarchy in Australia.
No charges have been laid against Pandeli in connection with the alleged drug importation plot that has entangled Soukoulis. The Sunday Herald Sun is not suggesting he was involved.
Pandeli was a high-profile target of an Australian Taxation Office blitz on outlaw motorcycle gangs and charged with failing to lodge tax returns.
His accountant took the blame and Pandeli was cleared without penalty.