Vic: Alleged drug lord to stay in jail, judge rules

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Vic: Alleged drug lord to stay in jail, judge rules

By Stuart Walsh

MELBOURNE, Aug 9 AAP - Businessman and alleged billion-dollar drug lord Antonius "Tony"

Mokbel will remain behind bars, a Supreme Court judge ruled today in dismissing his latestapplication for bail.

Victorian Supreme Court judge Murray Kellam said he was satisfied there was an unacceptablerisk that if released on bail, Mokbel, 36, would flee and that he would interfere withwitnesses.

The judge said while many of Mokbel's substantial assets had been frozen while he awaitstrial, he probably "still has sufficient resources to obstruct the course of justice".

Justice Kellam said he was satisfied Mokbel had told an informer he had the power toinfluence police.

Mokbel was released on bail last September but had the decision overturned on appealthree weeks later.

A second application for bail was refused in April this year.

Lawyers for Mokbel, of Pascoe Vale, made the fresh bail application following disclosuresa police corruption probe could affect his case.

Mokbel faces 16 state charges involving allegations he headed a $2 billion drugs syndicate.

Con Heliotis, QC, told the court the prosecution could not guarantee it could go aheadin November with a committal hearing while material was still emerging from the policecorruption investigation.

One serving and one former drug squad detective were arrested last year over separatetrafficking investigations and are now awaiting separate County Court trials.

Mr Heliotis said the potential two-and-a-half-year delay Mokbel faced was unacceptable.

Mokbel is also facing Commonwealth charges of heroin importation.

Justice Kellam said to avoid cost, inconvenience and further delay, Mokbel would beable to make another application for bail if the Commonwealth committal did not proceedon October 16 as proposed.

AAP sew/clr/mg/sb

KEYWORD: MOKBEL NIGHTLEAD