Underworld rivalries: Tony Mokbel vs Mick Gatto

When Mick Gatto allegedly arranged a peace meeting between Tony Mokbel and a notorious bikie, it did not go as planned. “Fat Tony’’ never forgave him for the beating he copped that day.

Tony Mokbel wouldn’t stand a chance in a toe-to-toe fight with Mick Gatto.

Though Mokbel was handy with his fists when younger, Gatto is a one-time heavyweight boxer who would mop the floor with the drug lord if it came down to trading blows.

Regardless, Mokbel, for a time, held a deep animosity for Gatto after a violent confrontation in which he was mercilessly bashed by notorious Perth outlaw bikie Troy Mercanti in Carlton.

Mokbel blamed ‘‘Big Mick’’ for arranging a Carlton get-together in 2002 which would have unforeseen ramifications.

The incident occurred before Mokbel became a household name as he escaped to Greece wearing a mop-top wig in 2006.

Tony Mokbel. Picture: AP

Mick Gatto. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“Fat Tony’’, as he was known, had been outspoken about Mercanti and his bikie mates.

But when Gatto allegedly arranged for a peace meeting between Mokbel and Mercanti, it did not go as planned.

Mokbel’s lack of contrition resulted in a beating requiring a trip to a doctor.

It would also lead to underworld rumours about Mokbel’s hatred for Gatto and that he had taken out a contract to kill Mercanti and two of his bikie associates.

Andrew Veniamin’s defection had major consequences.

No payback was ever delivered but Mokbel did not leave empty-handed.

Soon after the colossal thrashing which left his head badly swollen, Andrew “Benji” Veniamin switched teams from Gatto’s “Carlton Crew’’ to the “Sunshine Crew’’ aligned to Mokbel and Carl Williams.

The switch was a watershed moment in Melbourne’s Gangland War.

Williams became close to Veniamin, regarded as a ruthless contract killer.

The new alliance was dangerous for the Carlton Crew, including Gatto.

Just 10 days after the fatal shooting of Graham Kinniburgh, Gatto met with Williams and Veniamin at Crown Casino on December 22, 2003.

Lip readers deciphered the conversation at the height of the bloody war.

“ … you walk away from this and mind your own business,’’ Gatto warned.

“But anything with you, that’s your problem. But if anything comes my way then I’ll send somebody to you.

“I’ll be careful with you, be careful with me.

“I believe you, you believe me, now we’re even. That’s a warning,’’ he declared: “It’s not my war.’’

Mick Gatto puts his hand on his heart to thank his supporters outside the Supreme Court after he was acquitted of murdering Veniamin.

Gatto would keep tabs on Veniamin, who he suspected had killed his closest mate, Kinniburgh.

Months later, in March 2004, Gatto would find himself again with Veniamin.

This time, instead of a casino bar, they were in a narrow hallway at the back of a Carlton restaurant.

Gatto would claim Veniamin produced a gun leading to a struggle.

The stronger Gatto would testify his reflexes forced the gun back on the smaller man as the trigger was squeezed, killing Veniamin.

A jury would acquit Gatto of murder after he argued self-defence at his 2005 trial.

Mokbel, meanwhile, had his own issues.

He too would eventually be charged with murder, but was never convicted.

Carl Williams carries the coffin of his right-hand man Andrew "Benji" Veniamin from St. Andrews Greeks Orthodox Church in Sunshine. Picture: AAP

Upon learning he was about to be charged, in 2006, Mokbel made plans to skip the country despite the fact he was on trial for importing drugs. (He was convicted in absentia).

It led to a 15-month international manhunt which resulted in authorities flying to Greece.

The drug tsar was extradited to Australia and convicted of more drug crimes but never of murder.

Now, in 2021, Mokbel is planning his next great escape.

He wants the courts to free him from prison because his lawyer, Nicola Gobbo, was a police informer.

Even stranger, he says Gobbo was the one who warned him he was about to be charged with murder leading him to become a fugitive.

True or not, his emerging freedom bid will be fascinating.

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Originally published as Underworld rivalries: Tony Mokbel vs Mick Gatto