Men accused of holding couple at Qld unit have alleged gang links, court hears

A group of men with alleged links to outlaw criminal networks are accused of holding a Queensland man and his partner against their will after they lost $2.5 million in an investment scheme.

Four men were extradited from NSW to Qld to face the charges.

A group of men with alleged links to outlaw criminal networks are accused of holding a Queensland man and his partner against their will after they lost $2.5 million in an investment scheme.

Anthony Khalil, Aaron John McCann, Omar Mohmed Ahmed Hassan and Nezar Manly were extradited from NSW to Queensland on Friday on charges of deprivation of liberty and extortion.

Queensland Police extradited four men from New South Wales for deprivation of liberty and extortion following investigations into an incident on the Sunshine Coast in April.

Police will allege the offences relate to an incident in Maroochydore in April where a 27-year-old man and his 29-year-old partner were held against their will by a group of men.

The four men faced Brisbane Arrests Court on Monday where they were all released on bail with strict conditions.

During the bail applications, the court was told the defendants had invested about $2.5 million with the complainant and claimed he owed them a debt.

The court was told the men flew into Queensland from NSW between four and five days prior to the alleged incident and surveilled the complainant at a tavern on the Sunshine Coast.

Magistrate Lewis Shillito said the group’s plan had “some degree of sophistication”, noting that GPS tracking devices were also bought but not used.

One of the accused is taken by police during the extradition.

The four men were allegedly among several who then attended the complainant’s house on the night of April 10 and threatened him and his partner.

The court was told the men forced the complainant into a vehicle which was then driven by his girlfriend to another address.

Mr Shillito said the complainant then made about 20 phone calls to people to try and get the money to pay the men back as the men allegedly threatened him should he not make good of the alleged debt.

One of the accused being extradited.

The court heard police made allegations the men had links to outlaw criminal networks in NSW, and an outlaw motorcycle gang in Queensland.

Police will allege some men left the unit a short time later, with two others remaining inside with the man and woman.

Police were notified following concerns raised for the pair and specialist officers attended the property later that night.

The charges relate to an alleged incident at Maroochydore in April.

Following information received as part of extensive investigations under Operation Xray Zale, detectives from the Sunshine Coast District Crime Group travelled to Sydney last week to seek the extradition of the men.

All four men were granted bail with strict conditions, including reporting conditions and sureties which varied from $20,000 to $50,000.

Their matters will be mentioned in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on August 4.

Originally published as Men accused of holding couple at Qld unit have alleged gang links, court hears