Supergrass turns on Mokbel

Supergrass turns on Mokbel - World - theage.com.au:

"A suspect in a high-profile drug case has turned supergrass by agreeing to give evidence against fugitive drug baron Tony Mokbel and his brother Milad.
Milad Mokbel, 38, of suburban Brunswick, faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court today on charges including trafficking a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine and possessing methylamphetamine.
Tony Mokbel disappeared towards the end of his Supreme Court trial in March."

Right.

So go on, ask the inevitable question

WHAT ABOUT BAIL?:

"(I have) no doubt in my mind whatsoever he would be well aware of exactly how Tony Mokbel facilitated his escape and have access to the same identical provisions," Sen Det Rowe said.

Milad Mokbel's barrister Robert Richter, QC, told the court his client's incarceration had caused severe hardship for his wife and three children.

He said it may take more than two years before his client was dealt with by the court and evidence about the future charge was a moot point in this case.

He also said Milad Mokbel's mother was willing to provide her house as surety.

Magistrate Donna Bakos remanded Milad Mokbel into custody and adjourned his bail hearing until tomorrow.

Singing: "Once bitten twice shy babe.."

Gotta laugh at his mother putting up her house!
ANOTHER HOUSE!!! MARVELLOUSLY FUNNY!!

Condello suspect photfit released...

Condello murder suspect image released - National - theage.com.au:

"A photofit of the man police wish to speak in relation to Mario Condello's murder; the type of car seen in the 'immediate vicinity' of Condello's home at the time of the murder."

So MU readers: just who is this international man of mystery. Something tells us he's LOCAL, not an import as suggested...

Crikey Website - Reporter takes immersion journalism too far

There's always a bit of time to have a laugh at journos who get caught up in the excitement of the crime world...

Quite. a. big. laugh.

Crikey Website - Reporter takes immersion journalism too far

More charges over gangland murder - National - theage.com.au

More charges over gangland murder :

"A further three people have been charged over the murder of gangland victim Mark Mallia."

Was this guy murdered by committee or what?

Murder accused blows court a kiss - National - theage.com.au

Murder accused blows court a kiss - National - theage.com.au:

"An accused gangland murderer blew a kiss, thumped his heart and gave a thumbs-up sign to friends as he was remanded in custody today."

The condemned man ate a hearty breakfast, thumped his chest and cried like a baby once back in his cell...

Second man charged with underworld murder - National - theage.com.au

Another one goes down for the Mallia murder.

Christopher Orfanidis, of Ardeer in Melbourne's west, is due to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court at 10am charged with murder after he was formally arrested at Sunshine police station yesterday.

Do note that he was arrested at the station- in other words he "presented" himself at the station to be arrested.

The Age- Another Arrest

Mallia suspect arrested in Sydney

Police in Sydney this morning arrested Damien Cossu, 30, in connection with the murder of Mark Mallia, 30, a small-time criminal and close associate of standover man Nik Radev, on August 18, 2003.

This is an interesting development. We here @ MUI had pencilled in Ol' Andrew "Benji" Veniamin for that job, but with a trial coming for Cossu, we'll have to tkae notes and see what's goin' on...

Victoria Police had previously named Mr Cossu as a person of interest in their investigation into Radev's death.

Underworld identity Mick Gatto, at his trial over the killing of gangster Andrew "Benji" Veniamin, said he believed Veniamin was responsible for the murders of both Mallia and Radev.

Heavily armed police from NSW's homicide squad, working with Victoria Police's Purana taskforce, stopped a car and arrested Mr Cossu in the south-west Sydney suburb of Liverpool area about 7.30am today.

Interesting all round. Police had merely named him as a "person of interest". While many folk would jump to the conclusion that a "person of interest" translates roughly as "perpetrator", the truth is the cops often just think a person of interest knows someone who knows something. Several degrees of seperation. Take Graeme Kinniburgh- while he didn't pop Alphonse's clogs, he sure as hell saw Mark Moran do it. Therefore the cops would rate Graeme as a "person of interest" and not a perp.

Though it would appear that Cossu is definately more interesting than most...

The Age- Cossu's arrest in Sydney
ABC news website- Gangland Killing arrest

**UPDATE** He'll shortly be extradited to Melbourne:

The Age Gangland suspect extradited

Superintendent Grant said he expected police would make more arrests in relation to the Mallia murder in coming weeks. "We will be visiting several people over the next couple of weeks," he said.

Commander of the NSW Police homicide squad, Linda Howlett, said police said NSW Police had been working with Victoria Police since January on the case and today's arrest followed "a fair amount of assistance from the public''

.

Court lets bank sell Mokbel assets

FOUR months after he skipped the state, the way has been cleared for the properties of fugitive drug lord Tony Mokbel to be sold by National Australia Bank.

Once again, a bank benefits from the proceeds of crime...

Court lets bank sell Mokbel assets - National - theage.com.au

...a quickie- Raid in Lalor

Purana underworld detectives today raided house in Lalor believed to be connected with the murder of underworld criminal Mark Mallia in 2003.

Mallia's badly burnt body was discovered dumped in a drain at the rear of a West Sunshine soccer club on August 18, 2003. Police initially had trouble identifying Mallia, a known associate of slain gangland figure Nick Radev, but yesterday confirmed that they recently received information leading them to believe Mallia may have been murdered at the Lalor house.

...more as it happens!

Deja vu

The easter bunny announced today:

"We do the best we can to have a corruption-resilient organisation and one that has a set of values and standards that all members adhere to,'' she said.

"We know that there will be some members (involved in corruption or unethical behaviour) on some occasions, but it is too early for us to suggest that any members have behaved inappropriately until the investigation is completed, until charges perhaps are laid, if that might be the step, but we are still very early in this process.''

The Age- corruption not endemic

Hot Diggity DOG!

Now this story has the potential to blow a few copper's hats off...:

TWO Victorian policemen are being investigated over their connection to a lucrative hot dog business that makes up to $10,000 each weekend.

What's the big frickin' deal I heard you ask? So they sell past-used-by 'dogs in stale buns to pissed punters?

Problem 1:

...the ethical standards department was probing claims that Shot Dogs paid off-duty officers cash to sell hot dogs and marked police cars had been seen delivering bread rolls and other food to vans when supplies ran low.

Reminds one of New York's Finest Taxi service.

Problem 2:

Senior Sergeant Lewis was registered as the company's original director when Shot Dogs was established in 1995. Australian Securities and Investments Commission records reveal that he has since transferred the business into his wife's name.

Sergeant Brodie's wife is also listed as a director, with a 50 per cent holding in the company.

So you shuffle the deck chairs about and pretend that the past never happened. I sincerely hope these guys don't do any detective work: they'd never catch themselves.

Problem 3:

Another policeman, St Kilda sergeant Chris Lim, helped to establish the business but withdrew a few months later. Sergeant Lim is being investigated by Victoria Police's ethical standards department over his interests in a property company, in which a fellow investor is an associate of Mick Gatto, the man acquitted of murdering Andrew Veniamin in Melbourne's gangland war.

Oh dear- that's a worry. Not the Gatto connection, but rather "St Kilda sergeant". Also known as the "dodgy cops r us" station. Oh and the Gatto connection is still suss.

Problem 4:

The Age has also been told that Shot Dogs bought underworld figure Michael Marshall's hot dog van after he was gunned down outside his South Yarra home in October 2003. Police believe Marshall also used his business, Love Dogs, based outside the Motel nightclub, as a front to sell amphetamines.

Folks, this is the fucking kicker. What, did Wayne Strawhorn do the odd night working in the van? Christ did you read the bit: a front to sell amphetamines. Get that? ok, we'll cut paste it a few times till you do.a front to sell amphetamines. a front to sell amphetamines.a front to sell amphetamines. a front to sell amphetamines. a front to sell amphetamines.

Right. Back to work. Business as usual. Standby for Paul Mullett to crap on about how "cops should be allowed to have outside interests" and totally jump over the fact that once gain, he's defending dodgy cops. We'll be doing a detailed post about ol' Paul and his recent problems. Hopefully it will be when he's tipped out of the Police Assoc. chair.


Michael Marshall murder- The Age
Shot Dogs article- The Age

Where's Tony?

Ok here's a bunch of stuff to check out about the big man OFF campus:

• Meet The Mokbels [The Age]
• Tony has $20mil say Police [The Age]
• Beirut Notes Blog- Who the fuck is Tony Mokbel?
• A courier goes down [ABC news]

Right get reading- add any items to the comments section and we'll blog 'em up

MUI

1-0 down with 8 minutes to play

Australia vs Japan?

NO YOU IDIOTS! listen up- Zarah has waved the white flag of surrender:

Lawyer gives up appeal against contempt conviction

Melbourne lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson has abandoned her appeal against her conviction for contempt of court after being warned it could result in a harsher penalty.

Oh damn! She's slowly being painted into a corner. No appeal= no career. Appeal= possible even worse sentence + disbarring. No third option your worship?

It's not a certainty that she will be disbarred (ie there is no mandatory sentence), but hell- it will all add up to the point where there's no freakin' choice but to send her on her way.

Maybe she will do medicine- a sort of reverse Geoffrey Edelsten or Irene Bolger?

We wish her well and will follow this as the hearings and so on are conveyned.

Punch and Judy show

From AAP, via Az...

TWO men accused of threatening to slit the throat of Melbourne gangland widow Judy Moran have been jailed.

Mrs Moran had earlier told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court two men screamed abuse at her, called her a dog, accused her of being a police informer and said they would slit her throat. The incident happened at the Brunswick Club in June last year. Her husband, Lewis Moran, 58, was shot dead in the club in March, 2004.

Rodney Robinson, 53, of Epping, and Robert Gillick, 35, of Greensborough, both pleaded not guilty to charges, including making threats to kill.

Magistrate Duncan Reynolds dismissed the charge of making threats to kill, however found the men guilty of using threatening words.

He sentenced Robinson to two months' prison and Gillick to one month in jail, saying that was the only appropriate sentence in both cases.

Mr Reynolds said the men's behaviour that night caused disquiet to numerous patrons at the club.

He said he took into account both men had significant criminal pasts, but had made changes in their lives to put this behind them.

Robinson and Gillick have indicated they will lodge an appeal.

There's no place like home... there's no place like...

Yeah, lot of pressure. You gotta rise above it. You gotta harness in the good energy, block out the bad. Harness energy, block bad. Feel the flow, Happy. Feel it. It's circular. It's like a carousel. You pay the quarter, you get on the horse. It goes up and down and around. Circular. Circle. With the music. The flow...all good things.

Oh Tony why hast thou forsake thine own sister?

KARMA BABY!
hit the link at the top and find out the news.

** YES we have been bad bloggers**
We've been at the Paris of the East drinking daquiri's with the Tone. we're back, bad and ready to blog...

Charges over gangland death - National - theage.com.au

Charges over gangland death - National - theage.com.au

Look we've been flat out. You wanna help? Send an email and we'll see whatcha got (to post)

Sorry folks, normal transmission resumes soon...

Bulletin - Interview 1: Bryant and lawyers

It's 10 years since Port Arthur and a lot of the transcripts from the pre trial interviews have been released. I've not read the lot- but this next passage threw me right off balance:


Bulletin - Interview 1: Bryant and lawyers:

"JWA (MB's Lawyer John AVERY): Have you had any magazines or anything you’re allowed to look at

MB: Oh, I’ve had a few gun magazines

JWA: Gun magazines!

MB: Although that’s one thing I should stay away from"

He has enough insight to recognise perhaps gun mags aren't relly good for him so to speak. But what in God's name was he doing with them in the first place?

Run.... run... run I'm running

Oh no don't go slow, I'm a coming after you... etc

Thank you The Goodies!

MELBOURNE millionaire and now convicted drug dealer Antonios "Tony" Mokbel jumped bail after he learned he was under investigation for an underworld murder.

Mokbel, who remains missing, was told this month that he was being investigated by the Purana gangland taskforce over at least one — and possibly more — underworld murders.

Ok Sly, U Priveta. WTF gives here? If the Condello hit was nothing to do with Tone and friends- what murders are we talking?

The Age Story

Mokbel: how you can help...

As you all know, we are always willing to help the fine members of Victoria's Police force.

Tony Mokbel is on the run. And while we have no real idea where he is, we think we can assist the police and members of the public apprehend this dangerous criminal.

He is a master of disguise, so we've prepared some deadly accurate photoshop renditions of likely disguises he will use. For contrast, you can see the originals and then see just how clever he is:


And now, with a simple pair of glasses and moustache- he's an ordinary bloke again!

Incredible n'est pas?

Of course, as Tony lives in a fantasy land, he might just use that in his favour:
From this:


To this:

Arrrr me hearties, I've no idea who this lubber Mokbel is, to be sure arrrr!!

Note the attention to detail: the hat, the patch, the shirt and a bird. His own mother would not recognise him. Nor would she want to.

Lastly, you need to understand, gentle reader, that Tony may just indulge some of his personal depravations as part of his getaway. It pains us, but we must present the facts as they stand:
From this:


To this:

I...I...I...I.. like you verrrry much


Please- report his whereabouts. And if you do see him, please do not approach. He has been on the run a few days now and is likely to be very hungry.

Mokbel to be sentenced in absentia. 28/03/2006. ABC News Online

He's guilty- but he's off.... and he chose to:

After Mokbel's disappearance the defence counsel feared he was in danger because of an unrelated matter.

However, it can now be revealed that Australian Federal Police told the court all the evidence points to Mokbel having voluntarily absconded.

Brazil anyone? Kinda worked for ol' Ronnie Biggs...

Mokbel to be sentenced in absentia. 28/03/2006. ABC News Online