Revealed: How alleged Alameddine gang leader got bail despite judge’s concerns

The alleged leader of the feared Alameddine crime gang has quietly been released from remand as he awaits trial, despite having a history of breaching court orders. Find out how he managed to secure bail.

He’s the alleged leader of the feared Alameddine crime gang charged with 40 offences – including two kidnappings – who a judge says has a history of breaching court orders and, if released on bail, could flee the country.

But, despite these concerns – raised by NSW Supreme Court Justice Peter Hamill himself in court – the experienced judge decided to grant bail to Ali Elmoubayed, who was quietly released from prison on remand and has begun reporting daily to a western Sydney police station as he awaits a trial, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Elmoubayed, a former bodyguard to suspected kingpin Rafat Alameddine who has since risen to become alleged boss of the Alameddines is charged with about 40 offences, including over two kidnappings – one involving a “highly aggressive” dog – and also being involved in a cocaine and ice operation with up to 50,000 potential customers across Sydney, according to police in court documents.

Ali Elmoubayed is pictured reporting to a police station in western Sydney this week after recently being granted bail as he awaits trial.

Police allege Elmoubayed, pictured here in a police operation in 2023, is the leader of the Alameddine crime network.

He was arrested in March 2024, but he recently applied for bail, arguing his family and his wife, Marissa Psomas, were doing it tough without him and that, when in the community, he usually cared for his sister, Zamzam, who has intellectual disabilities.

In scrutinising his bail request, Justice Hamill said, if released, Elmoubayed had reason to flee the country and that he also had a history of disobeying court orders.

“I accept that the applicant may be motivated to flee because of the likely length of the sentence he would receive upon conviction, that concern is exacerbated by the intelligence that he is a senior member of the Alameddine gang which may have the resources to assist him to take flight,” the judge said.

Defence lawyer Talal Krayem, right, was part of Elmoubayed’s legal team that secured him bail.

Barrister Avni Djemal (left) was also part of the defence team.

“Further, when Mr Elmoubayed was arrested a police custody officer says that they overheard him suggest to his wife that she take herself and the family to Dubai.”

Elmoubayed’s wife is not accused of any wrongdoing.

The judge continued: “Perhaps of more concern than the criminal record itself is the applicant’s patchy record of complying with court orders, this is reflected in a number of driving offences when his licence was cancelled or suspended, more than one breach of bail in 2021 and ‘call-ups’ while on community based orders.”

The court also heard evidence of Elmoubayed’s alleged offending, including a mobile phone video that shows a man being “detained by a person with a highly aggressive dog and forced to remove his clothing”.

NSW Supreme Court Justice Peter Hamill says granting Elmoubayed bail was not an “easy” decision.

Justice Hamill said the case he was involved in the drug dealing operation would be “bordering on overwhelming” if the prosecution can prove he was behind an online handle called ENTERPRISE.

“There is also frank discussion about the quality of the product and strategies to avoid detection, for example by masking the smell of the drugs with oil to throw sniffer dogs literally off the scent,” he said.

However, Justice Hamill decided to allow Elmoubayed, represented by high-profile criminal defence lawyers Talal Krayem and Avni Djemal SC, to walk free on bail.

His bail conditions include reporting to a western Sydney police station daily and three people depositing a security of $4 million that would be forfeited if he fails to appear in court.

“The decision is not easy, but I have concluded the conditions proposed by the applicant, somewhat modified, will mitigate the risks of releasing the applicant,” Justice Hamill said.

“I have little doubt he will be under close police scrutiny and that fact, along with the strict conditions of bail to which he will be subject, reduce the risk of Mr Elmoubayed taking flight.”

Originally published as Revealed: How alleged Alameddine gang leader got bail despite judge’s concerns