By Riley Walter and Perry Duffin
A Sydney real estate agent allegedly rented a house to Comanchero bikie gang members, who used the property as a base of operations for a criminal syndicate suspected of being involved in large-scale drug supply and kidnapping conspiracies, a court has heard.
LJ Hooker Dulwich Hill director Yianni Karakikes was granted bail in the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday after being arrested in a police sting that dismantled an alleged bikie-linked syndicate in a dozen simultaneous raids on Thursday.
Yianni Karakikes was arrested by Strike Force Orsino detectives on Thursday.
Karakikes, 31, was arrested by Strike Force Orsino detectives investigating the brazen daylight shooting of two men in a Marrickville barbershop in July last year.
Police allege that, as part of that investigation, a criminal syndicate linked to the Comanchero gang and involved in commercial drug supply and kidnapping conspiracies was identified.
Police were called to Adel’s Salon on Marrickville Road after two men – aged 20 and 33 – were shot just before 2pm on July 7, 2023. The 20-year-old man suffered gunshot wounds to the chest, while the 33-year-old man was shot in the buttocks.
Two burnt-out cars, believed to be linked to the shooting, were found in Marrickville and Dulwich Hill a short time after the shooting.
Detectives are also investigating any link between the Marrickville shooting and the alleged murder of bikie associate Marvin Oraiha in Elizabeth Hills in May last year.
Police identified the criminal syndicate as part of investigations into a daylight shooting in Marrickville last year.Credit: James Brickwood
At 6am on Thursday, officers swooped on alleged members of the bikie-linked syndicate, simultaneously arresting several alleged Comanchero members and associates in a series of raids across Sydney.
Karakikes was arrested by Strike Force Orsino detectives on Thursday.
Karakikes was arrested at his Dulwich Hill home before being taken to Surry Hills police station and charged with taking part in the supply of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and participating in a criminal group.
He was also charged with organising, conducting or assisting a drug premises. He is not accused of any involvement in relation to the shootings linked to the investigation.
Karakikes had rented a house on New Canterbury Road to Comanchero members, including George Lergou, who was also arrested alongside alleged former Comanchero member Alan Ian Marshall in the Thursday raids, the court heard.
Strike Force Orsino investigators installed hidden cameras in the home, where Lergou and another bikie were allegedly filmed taking a light-coloured powder out of a plastic bag, weighing and re-bagging it, documents tendered in court allege.
Karakikes’ barrister, George Thomas, told the court the men were “obviously using the premises to facilitate supply; my client is not there”.
The court heard the hidden cameras captured Lergou placing a package believed to contain drugs on a kitchen bench in front of Karakikes, who had been summoned to the property.
“Don’t say a word to no one,” Lergou allegedly told Karakikes.
Thomas successfully asked for Karakikes, who lost a bid to have his identity suppressed, to be bailed so he could continue to run his business and be with his wife ahead of the birth of their second child next month.
Karakikes is also a motorsport enthusiast and claims to own Australia’s fastest Nissan Skyline R35 GT-R, which he has driven at up to 300km/h and has entered in drag races in NSW and interstate.
During Thursday’s 12 raids, including one on the Gold Coast, police found and seized $550,000 worth of luxury jewellery, eight cars and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle worth a combined value of $500,000, more than $25,000 in cash, $12,000 worth of prohibited drugs, electronic devices and Comanchero paraphernalia.
Lergou was arrested at Burwood police station about 2pm and charged with an array of offences, including two counts of shooting with intent to murder, conspiracy to take or detain a person with intent to obtain advantage, and two counts of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.
He was also charged with knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, knowingly directing activities of a criminal group, stalking or intimidating with the intent to cause fear or physical harm, and common assault (DV). He was not charged in relation to Oraiha’s alleged murder.
Police allege Lergou was part of the joint criminal enterprise involved in the planning and carrying out of the Marrickville shooting but was not the gunman. Lergou did not apply for bail on Friday. He was remanded in custody to face Downing Centre Local Court on February 4.
Marshall, 39, was charged with possessing a prohibited drug, possessing or attempting to possess a prescribed restricted substance and two counts of participating in a criminal group. He was not charged in connection to the shootings. He did not apply for bail in Sutherland Local Court on Friday and was remanded in custody to face Downing Centre Local Court on February 4.
Alleged Comanchero Tiago Manuel Guerreiro Costa, 45, was charged with conspiracy to take or detain a person with intent to obtain advantage and two counts of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug. He was also not charged in connection to the shootings. He was refused bail and appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday, when he was formally refused bail to face Downing Centre Local Court on February 4.
Strike Force Orsino detectives on Thursday arrested six alleged Comanchero bikie gang members and associates.Credit: NSW Police
In Lakemba, a 28-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of dishonestly interfering with or copying a unique identifier and failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Bankstown Local Court on December 17.
A 42-year-old man, arrested in Broadbeach Waters on the Gold Coast, was expected to be extradited to Tweed Heads on Friday and charged with participating in a criminal group.
While detectives executed raids on syndicate members, police searched an area of bushland and surrounding waterways in Georges Hall as part of investigations into the link between the Marrickville shooting and Oraiha’s alleged murder.
Investigations under Strike Force Orsino and Strike Force Hackenburg, launched to investigate Oraiha’s alleged murder, are ongoing.
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