Police have issued photos of a man suffering gunshot wounds as they try to establish how he came to be shot in the leg in Glenroy last week.

He then underwent surgery, where a number of shotgun pellets were removed from his leg.

He has since being discharged from hospital, but has not been keen to cooperate with police investigating the incident.

Police believe the shooting occurred sometime between 7 and 7.40pm somewhere in the northern suburbs.

A 23-year-old Roxburgh Park man was arrested in the Glenroy area later that night in possession of a sawn-off shotgun.

Detectives are awaiting forensic examination of the gun to determine whether he may have been involved in the shooting.

Investigators would like to hear from anyone who may have heard gunshots on the evening of Wednesday 4 June or who may know the identity of the men who took the victim to hospital.

The first male is described as medium build, with short dark hair and was wearing an Adidas jacket with white arms and a black body, a white t-shirt, light coloured jeans and black shoes.

The second male is described as medium build, with black hair and was wearing a black jacket with grey collar and black jeans.

Another charged over Mokbel escape
June 12, 2008

A fourth person has been charged in connection with helping former fugitive Tony Mokbel flee Australia two years ago.

A Lakes Entrance man, 51, was this morning arrested by detectives from the anti-gangland Purana taskforce.

He was taken to the State Crime Squads offices in St Kilda Rd and remains under questioning.

It is unclear what role he is alleged to have played.

Police suspect up to 10 people were involved in the escape of Mokbel and last week predicted more arrests were coming.

Already charged are Byron Pantazis, 63, of Reservoir; Angela Verykios, 46, of Burnside, and Yvonne Warfe, 34, of Burnside.

Police claim Mokbel sailed to freedom in a $350,000 yacht, the Edwena, after an elaborate conspiracy involviong the boat's purchase, its transportation to the western seaboard and a long ocean voyage to Greece, where Mokbel was arrested in June last year.

Mokbel was returned to Australia last month failing to prevent extradition in the courts.

Hearing told of police footy brawl
(H/Sun - Age)
June 11, 2008

Two police officers came to blows at a footy game over their support for a disgraced former detective, a corruption hearing was told today.

Det Sgt Denis Linehan said that one of the officers, Gerard Walsh, ended up in hospital with a cut head after he fell over in the corporate box of cigarette company Philip Morris at Telstra Dome two weeks ago.

Mr Linehan said he attended the game at the invitation of his mate Paul Dale (pictured), a former detective under investigation in cases of murder, burglary and theft of a police file.

Apart from himself there were two serving police officers in the box, Mr Walsh and Ed Formosa, Det Sgt Linehan said, and he indicated the fight was between them.

He told the Office of Police Integrity hearing that the fight started because one of the officers "had not shown enough support for Paul". They were very drunk.

Garry Livermore, counsel assisting the OPI, asked Det Sgt Linehan if anyone was injured.

Det Sgt Linehan replied: "Gerard Walsh. He got a cut on the head when he fell down. Got taken to hospital."

Mr Livermore: "It's not too flash Mr Linehan?"

Det Sgt Linehan: "No. I was disgusted."

The inquiry heard a disgraced former detective sent a text message to a mate and serving Victoria Police officer saying "the gloves are off" as corruption investigators probed friendships and contacts.

The inquiry heard today that Paul Dale sent the text to Det-Sergeant Denis Linehan (left) of Flemington CIU in November 2007 after a flurry of activity in the investigations into the murders of Terrence and Christine Hodson.

The inquiry is probing allegations that Mr Dale, asuspect in the Hodson murders, was given ongoing assistance from former colleagues in Victoria Police to hinder investigations into his alleged involvement in criminal activity.

Garry Livermore, counsel assisting the OPI, asked Det-Sergeant Linehan what Mr Dale meant by the message that appeared to be a call to arms to loyal friends.

The text message from Mr Dale read: "It's game on mate. The gloves are off. Good luck to you all. I feel for all the workers left".

Det-Sergeant Linehan said he did not know what Mr Dale meant.

"He was angry about something," he told Mr Livermore.

"Angry at the OPI. Making inquiries of friends and he wants a fight."

Delegate Murray Wilcox QC said that "good luck to you all" was the kind of comment that might be made by a player before a game or someone going into battle.

"It is implying you are going to do something," Mr Wilcox said.

Det-Sergeant Linehan replied: "I get the impression he wants a fight."

Mr Livermore asked Det Sgt Linehan if it was appropriate for a serving officer to accept hospitality in a private box at the football from a former detective suspected of involvement in very serious criminal activity.

"I didn't give it a thought," he replied.

"He's a friend of mine and he invited me to the football. I didn't see anything wrong with that at all."

The hearing earlier heard that Mr Dale had sent a text message after police raided the house of his friend Silvio Montesano, a potential witness in the Hodson investigation.

"It's game on mate. The gloves are off. Good luck to you all. I feel for all the workers left," the message allegedly read.

Asked what the message meant Sergeant Linehan said he did not know and could not remember if he had phoned Mr Dale to ask him.

"I couldn't tell you, obviously he's angry about something," he said of the message's meaning.

Sergeant Linehan also denied asking homicide detective Calum McCann to find out information about the Petra taskforce's investigation into the  Hudsons' murders.

Asked if McCann had told him he thought Mr Dale was a crook and responsible for stealing Information Reports on Terence Hudson, Sergeant Linehan said "certainly not".

He later admitted breaching the confidentiality of OPI hearings when he discussed being called-up last April with another police officer.

Sergeant Linehan also agreed he had given false evidence at the earlier hearing, when he denied knowing the other officer had also appeared  before the OPI.

But Sergeant Linehan said he had not lied.

Secret Tapes: Dale speaks to Montssano

Secret Tapes: Dale Speaks to Linehan

A public OPI hearing, called into allegations serving and former Victoria Police members shared information with Det Sgt Paul Dale about Taskforce Petra, which is probing the 2004 double murder of police informer Terrence Hodson and his wife Christine, began today.

Garry Livermore, council assisting the OPI, suggested secretly-recorded conversations showed Det-Sgt Denis Linehan (left) tried to find out who was on the taskforce, monitored its progress, and tried to interfere with a potential witness.

Opening the public hearings, Mr Livermore said that at the time of the double murder, Mr Hodson had agreed to give evidence in court that Mr Dale was involved in the burglary of a drug house in East Oakleigh on AFL Grand Final Day 2003.

Mr Hodson had been a police informer for two years and his handlers were Det Sgt Dale and Det Sen-Constable Dave Miechel, who was later jailed for his part in the drug house burglary.

Dale was suspected of stealing a file from the Drug Squad officers, Mr Livermore said, and of leaking the fact that Mr Hodson was a police informer, knowing this would make him a target of Melbourne's underworld.

After the murder, charges against Mr Dale over the East Oakleigh burglary were dropped.

In his opening, Mr Livermore said the inquiry would probe alleged links between Mr Dale and serving officers and if those officers had engaged in behaviour designed to impede the murder investigation or disclosed secret information.

He said that under the codename Operation Oboe the investigation solely involved Mr Dale and what he learned about Petra through leaks and improper contacts.

Det-Sgt Linehan was grilled after the police watchdog accused Dale of using serving officers to interfere with an inquiry into the killings and denied he was a "bagman" for Dale who is accused of trying to sabotage a murder inquiry in which he is a prime suspect.

The Office of Police Integrity accused Det-Sgt Linehan of disloyalty to fellow police.

The hearing was played a series of secretly recorded phone conversations in which it was alleged Det-Sgt Linehan shared information with Mr Dale about Taskforce Petra.

Mr Livermore suggested the conversations showed Det-Sgt Linehan tried to find out who was on the taskforce, monitored its progress, and tried to interfere with a potential witness.

Mr Livermore suggested Det-Sgt Linehan continually stressed to Mr Dale that they needed to speak on secure telephones or in person.

In one call, Det-Sgt Linehan told Mr Dale they should meet face to face and "I'll fill you in with what I've been able to find out".

Det-Sgt Linehan denied he'd tried to pervert the course of justice.

"I'm being painted as a bagman for a double murderer," he told the hearing. "I totally reject the inference I would try to hinder a double murder investigation or pervert the course of justice.

"Yes, I did a favour for a mate."

The hearing was played a tape of a conversation between Mr Dale and friend Silvio Montesano, who had been contacted by Taskforce Petra.

Mr Dale: "Do not co-operate in any way, shape or form."

Mr Montesano: "Yes."

Mr Dale: "I'd be very disappointed if I ever see a statement with your name on it."

Mr Montesano: "You won't."

The hearing was told Det-Sgt Linehan carried out a request by Mr Dale to visit Brunswick publican Mick Jesic, who had been arrested by taskforce detectives, and "give him a bit of free legal advice".

Det-Sgt Linehan: "I thought I was doing Paul and Mick a favour."

Mr Livermore: "Do you think you were doing the taskforce a favour?"

Det-Sgt Linehan: "No."

Several times the former armed robbery squad detective said he had "absolutely no idea" what he was talking to Mr Dale about.

Delegate Murray Wilcox, QC, warned Det-Sgt Linehan not to treat those conducting the hearing as imbeciles.

Mr Wilcox said the hearing might find that he was trying to assist Mr Dale in his battle with the taskforce and asked him to suggest what other conclusion he could draw after hearing the taped conversations.

Mr Wilcox asked Det-Sgt Linehan, now based at Flemington, what other subjects were so sensitive that he could not discuss them on the phone with Mr Dale.

Det-Sgt Linehan suggested "women, girls, home life", and couldn't think of anything else.

Mr Livermore said the OPI hearing would probe alleged links between Mr Dale and serving officers, and if those officers had engaged in behaviour designed to impede the murder investigation or disclose secret information.

He said that under the codename Operation Oboe, the investigation solely involved Mr Dale and what he learned about Petra through leaks and improper contacts.

"In particular the Director (of Police Integrity) has gathered information that suggests that serving Victoria Police officers have engaged in behaviour designed to impede the investigation into the Hodson murders and have sought and disclosed information so as to impede the investigation into any involvement of Dale in the Hodson murders.

"For some of these police it seems that their loyalty to Paul Dale far exceeds any obligations they feel to the Victorian community in their roles as serving police officers and indeed their fellow police officers whose work they seek to subvert and compromise by their activities."

Det-Sgt Linehan said he believed there was nothing wrong in remaining a friend of Paul Dale.

Mr Livermore asked him if it was appropriate for him to stay in contact with a man who was a suspect in the Hodson murder case and who was also suspected of stealing documents from the drug squad.

Det-Sgt Linehan said he didn't believe Mr Dale was involved in any of the crimes.

"I was a mate before all this happened, and I'm a mate now," he said.

Det-Sgt Linehan said he was with Mr Dale on the weekend the Hodsons were gunned down. He said they were with a dozen other police at a boys' weekend in Bendigo.

Linehan has spent the best part of his long career tracking the state's worst criminals.

A laconic man with a dry sense of humour around those he trusts, Det-Sgt Linehan -- known to his colleagues as "Bluey" -- is renowned as a former stalwart of the crime squads.

An opinionated cop who says what he thinks -- often about current policing styles and force management -- he has a no-fuss attitude and employs old-school methodology when it comes to catching crooks.

Det-Sgt Linehan worked at the armed robbery squad in the early 1990s when bandits were robbing banks and armoured money vans with relish.

In 1996, he ran an investigation that led to the arrest of two notorious bandits who once ran a professional robbery crew known as "The Sledgehammer Gang".

After shooting a guard and customer at a South Australian bank for $335,000, the two bandits were arrested back in Melbourne thanks to an armed robbery squad sting.

The following year, while still with "The Robbers", Det-Sgt Linehan played a role in the successful investigation into a Queensland armed robbery fugitive who murdered a Noble Park man to assume his identity.

During the 1990s, Det-Sgt Linehan also spent several years on major cases with the homicide squad.

"He's a very experienced and tenacious investigator who speaks his mind," a colleague said.

"His focus has always been on catching crooks. In my opinion, he has always worked towards keeping the community a safe place."

Det-Sgt Linehan worked at Keilor Downs police station before returning to the newly formed armed offenders squad in or around 2004.

He was there when the squad was axed in 2006.

At an OPI hearing weeks later, he denied a female suspect's claim that he assaulted and threatened her in the crime squad building carpark.

Det-Sgt Linehan called the allegation "absolute rubbish", and was never charged.

Fed up with the way the crime department was being restructured and managed, he transferred to Flemington as a detective.

Mr Dale told the hearing his phones had been tapped for five years and he was sick of living every step of his life under scrutiny.

"This has been going on for five years to me. It goes on and on and on," he said. "You get sick of living your life knowing you're being monitored every step you take.

"I don't need the OPI and the whole police force knowing what I'm doing on a day-to-day basis."

As far as the murders of Terrence and Christine Hodson were concerned, he said he was "the square peg that doesn't fit into the round hole".

Garry Livermore, counsel assisting the OPI, has suggested secretly taped talks between Mr Dale and Det Sgt Linehan showed Det Sgt Linehan trying to find out who was on the Hodson taskforce, monitoring its progress, and trying to interfere with a potential witness.

He suggested Mr Dale was worried about what Brunswick bar owner Mick Jesic might say to the Taskforce Petra detectives after he was shown a photo of a gun found in the boot of Hodson's car at the time of the burglary.

But Mr Dale denied enlisting his friend to "put the frighteners" on Mr Jesic by asking him to give the man "a free bit of legal advice".

"I just wanted to make sure he was OK," he said.

Mr Dale denied Det Sgt Linehan had updated him on taskforce investigations or passed on confidential investigations, and said he had never asked him to.

Mr Dale was played one tapped call, in which he tells a friend, Silvio Montesano: "I would be very disappointed if I ever see a statement with your name on it."

Mr Dale was then asked about his evidence to a private OPI hearing in April that he hadn't told anyone not to provide investigators with a statement.

He denied he'd lied, but told Mr Livermore: "I retract that. That's not correct."

Mr Dale, who now runs a Wangaratta service station, said he was bitter, and saying anything by the time he said that to Mr Montesano.

He also denied there was anything sinister in a message he sent to Det Sgt Linehan and Sgt Formosa after he learned investigators were approaching his friends for information.

It read: "It's game on, mate. The gloves are off.

"Good luck to you all. I feel for all the workers left."

He told Mr Livermore it was nothing to do with Taskforce Petra and probably related to something about the Police Association that had made headlines.

Det Sgt Linehan was also questioned about evidence he gave to a private OPI hearing in April in which he said he had no knowledge of a police colleague being called before the OPI.

A secret tape was then played, in which he says to another policeman "(X) is going in on Monday".

OPI delegate Murray Wilcox, QC, said Det Sgt Linehan had told the private hearing he had never discussed the colleague being called before the OPI.

Mr Wilcox: "You agree that evidence was wrong?"

Det Sgt Linehan: "Yes."

He denied he had lied, and suggested the "going in on Monday" referred to another matter.

He also denied he tried to put the "frighteners" on a witness in an unrelated case involving a suspended police officer and a mate charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

It was a coincidence that he had visited the man, he said.

Zarah free of charges
(Herald Sun)
June 10, 2008

Zarah Garde-Wilson's criminal trial collapsed today when the star witness against her suffered memory loss in court.

The glamorous solicitor faced charges of lying to the Australian Crime Commission over a gun belonging to her murdered lover, Lewis Caine.

Ms Garde-Wilson was cleared of handing the .25 Mauser over to a gun runner known as "Informer 166" after her de facto's death in 2004.

The gun was then passed on to police.

But the case dramatically fell apart when 166 told a secret pre-trial hearing yesterday that he no longer remembered discussing the gun with Ms Garde-Wilson in a conversation he covertly taped.

With no criminal charges left, Ms Garde-Wilson can step up her fight to regain the practising certificate stripped from her by the Legal Services Board after it ruled she was unfit to hold one.

Ms Garde-Wilson, 30, who has acted for Carl Williams and Tony Mokbel, said through her barrister that she was happy the case was over and she "just wants her privacy".

It was alleged that Ms Garde-Wilson gave false evidence to the ACC in July 2004 by denying she handed convicted killer Caine's gun to 166 or that it had been kept in the couple's city apartment.

She was also accused of lying about having spoken to "spirits" about Caine's murder, telling the ACC she knew "Lewie" met his killers at a pub and was shot in a car belonging to one of the men's girlfriends because, "I speak to the spirits".

"The spirits are talking to me," she said.

During yesterday's secret County Court hearing, 166 was played a tape of himself and Ms Garde-Wilson in which it was alleged they talked about her returning the gun.

"If you want another one, I'm happy to give you another one," 166 says on the tape. "So you reckon you'll go home and get it?"

But when asked what he was referring to, 166 said he couldn't remember.

"Are you saying on your oath that you don't recall collecting a gun from her in June 2004?" Judge Roland Williams asked, to which 166 said he could not recall.

After 166's evidence, prosecutor Gavin Silbert, SC, said that the charges would be abandoned.

Caine was shot dead in May 2004 by Evangelos Goussis, the man convicted of killing crime patriarch Lewis Moran.

Ms Garde-Wilson's refusal to give evidence against Goussis and another man at their murder trial saw her convicted of contempt of court.

Informer 166 had been helping gather evidence about a murder plot by dead Carlton Crew member Mario Condello to kill rivals Carl and George Williams, and told an earlier hearing he had given Caine a gun in April 2004.

He said he only met Ms Garde-Wilson to get the gun back on the understanding that she would not be charged over it.

Ms Garde-Wilson is able to continue acting for clients as she tries to have the Legal Services Board decision overturned in the courts.

Rod Collins arrested over double murder
(The Age)
June 6, 2008

A 63-year-old Northcote man with links to the underworld  is being questioned by police over the execution-style  killing of a husband and wife more than 20 years ago.

Petra Taskforce detectives today arrested Rod Collins (left) in relation to the double  killing of Ramon Abbey, 40, and Dorothy Abbey, 39, who were shot in their West Heidelberg home in July 1987.

Detective Superintendent Jack Blayney said the 63-year-old man  was connected to underworld identities.

"What I can say is there are connections between the man we arrested today and other underworld identities,''  he said.

"It was referred to the taskforce in April 2007, to review it.''

Detective Superintendent Blayney said information was received from a Purana investigation.

"It relates specifically to another investigation (and) there are some connections,''  he said.

Detective  Superintendent  Blayney said the double murder was extremely callous.

"They were both put into a position where they were shot in the head from behind in circumstances where it was extremely callous,'' Detective Superintendent Blayney said.

"We have a motive but that's something we'll leave for the courts,'' Detective Inspector Blayney said.

"There was more than one offender involved in this homicide, however two of those others have since passed away.''

Collins came to the attention of Purana taskforce detectives investigating Melbourne's gangland killings.

He escaped going to jail in February 2004 after allegedly being caught with a loaded semi-automatic gun.

A Herald Sun death notice after Jason Moran's 2003 murder read:

''Thirty pieces of silver. Respect to all the poor little kiddies. Mick Gatto (The Don), Rod Collins, Benji, Carl Williams and Dad, Victor Brincat, Alfie. Lest we forget. 2003''

It was not known if the letter was genuine.

Victor Brincat, Carl Williams and "Alfie" Traglia were later charged with Moran's murder and "Benji" Veniamin was suspected of being involved in several others before he was shot dead by Mick Gatto in March 2004.

Collins, also known as Rod "The Duke" Earl, is closely linked to Tony Mokbel and is under investigation over a similar case connected to Melbourne's underworld war.

Collins was arrested by detectives from Taskforce Petra - the unit set up to investigate the murders of police informer Terence Hodson and his wife Christine, who were shot dead in their Kew home on May 15, 2004.

Collins was living with Joan McGuire, whose daughter Danielle is Tony Mokbel's partner. Danielle and Mokbel had a child together in Greece while the wanted man was on the run.

Police say Collins is part of Mokbel's extended family.

The Petra taskforce has been investigating links between Mokbel and Collins.

Police allege the Abbeys were killed as part of a failed drug rip-off after three men went to the house believing the couple had cash and heroin hidden in a safe in their garden shed. But they were wrong and the safe was empty.

One of the alleged team, Mark Andrew McConville, was initially found guilty of the murders but the conviction was overturned and he was acquitted at the retrial. He has since died. A second man involved has also died.

Police will allege that Collins was the gunman who killed the Abbeys. They will also allege he tortured Mrs Abbey and cut her throat.

Detectives believe the Abbeys knew their killers. Police also believe the Hodsons knew theirs.

While police would not publicly confirm links between the Abbey murders and the Hodson case, they acknowledge potential connections to ongoing investigations.

Detective Superintendent Jack Blayney, of the crime department, said: "What I can say is that there are connections between the man we've arrested with other key underworld identities.

"It relates specifically to another investigation we are conducting. There are some connections with (anti-gangland taskforce) Purana."

Collins has also been nominated as a suspect in the gangland murder of Mario Condello, who was shot dead in the garage of his Brighton home on February 6, 2006. He has also been listed as a suspect in several unsolved murders from the 1980s.

Superintendent Blayney said the Abbey murder investigation was reopened in April 2008.

"When we talk about execution-style killing, they were both put in a position where they were shot in the head from behind in circumstances where it was an extremely callous and calculating act," he said.

Taskforce Petra was set up to investigate the Hodson murders last year after detectives received new evidence linking the murders to police corruption.

Terence Hodson was a police informer and had agreed to give evidence against two drug squad detectives. Confidential police documents exposing him as a police informer were leaked to the underworld before he was murdered.

Mokbel is expected to eventually be questioned over the Hodson double killing and his links to Collins.

There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Hodson murders.

Damon Abbey was five years old when his parents were killed but he remembers being awake in the house when they were murdered. Also in the house were his two elder sisters Elicia and Stacey.

"We have all been involved in the investigation. We've helped in terms of what we can remember of the events."

He said he "knew of the person" arrested over the murders.

Collins, of Holmes Street, Northcote, was remanded in custody to reappear on September 26.

Arrests and revelations re Mokbel escape
(Age, AAP, H/Sun)
June 5, 2008

Early on June 5, 2008, several raids were made on people suspected of assisting Tony Mokbel to flee Australia in 2006.

They followed the execution of more than 50 search warrants throughout New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia in previous months.

Search warrants were executed by the anti-gangland Purana taskforce on three addresses in Burnside and Reservoir around 6am as part of Operation Magnum.

The 14-month long operation targeted people who allegedly used the proceeds of crime to assist Mokbel's escape.

A man and two women were questioned at St Kilda Rd police complex.

A 63-year-old Reservoir man was expected to be charged with trafficking a drug of dependence, conspiracy to pervert, accessory after the fact and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Two Burnside women, aged 46 and 34, were both expected to be charged with conspiracy to pervert, accessory after the fact and dealing with proceeds of crime.

The Herald Sun reported that police had said Tony Mokbel was smuggled out of Australia on a private yacht in an elaborate plot orchestrated by at least three associates.

Details of the daring 2006 escape emerged as Melbourne's gangland detectives closed the net on three people alleged to have helped him flee.

"We're going to allege that these people assisted Mr Mokbel in certain ways to get him out of the country,'' Detective Inspector Bernie Edwards of the Purana Taskforce told ABC Radio.

"The assistance provided included buying a boat called the Edwena, a 57-foot motor yacht from a Sydney businessman.'' 

"The boat was purchased for $350,000, there was (sic) modifications made to the boat which included desalination units, sleeping quarters ... We believe, with payments made to certain people, (the plot) would be in the vicinity of a million dollars."

Det Insp Edwards said the boat sailed from Sydney to Newcastle Harbour.

"A few modifications were made on the boat, then the boat was transported by heavy haulage across the country to Fremantle harbour (in Western Australia),'' he said.

"The boat was sailed up to Geraldton and then across the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal and eventually landing in Greece.''

Det Insp Edwards said Mokbel left Australian shores on November 11, 2006, arriving in Greece on Christmas Eve. 

The man and two women arrested that morning were alleged to have helped Mokbel by purchasing the boat, driving him to Western Australia in a four-wheel drive, and stocking the yacht with provisions for the voyage, Det Insp Edwards said.

"We also believe that three Greek nationals, three sailors, were recruited and flown out to actually sail the boat back to Greece.''

Det Insp Edwards said the investigation extended across state and Australian borders and more arrests were expected to follow.

"We believe there's any number up to 10 people involved in assisting Mr Mokbel out of the country, there will be other people spoken to,'' he said.

Det Insp Edwards said the yacht was bought for $350,000, with more money spent on secret modifications to conceal Mokbel inside.

The boat is believed to be moored at a marina in Greece.

John Silvester wrote in the Age that "for him (Mokbel) the thought of skulking up a gangplank to masquerade as a foreign sailor or hiding in a dirty cargo container to be shipped overseas was beneath him. Mokbel, the Ferrari-driving, penthouse-dwelling millionaire, always went first class - and when he slipped out of the country it would be no different."

According to the Purana anti-gangland taskforce, Mokbel left Australia in the way he thought befitted his lifestyle - on the deck of a luxury yacht with his specially imported crew sailing more than 12,000 kilometres to Athens.

While there were exotic theories that he had planned his disappearance for months and flew out of Australia in comfort, the truth was Mokbel only decided to run a few days before he disappeared and had no time to organise an escape route.

The best he could do was lean on a mate, George Elias, to stay at his Bonnie Doon house. As police made inquiries in a multitude of exotic ports, including Dubai, Paris and Rome, Mokbel was rugged up near Lake Eildon, watching daytime television and planning his next move - and it would be a big one.

While Mokbel had lost his freedom he still had two important tradeable assets: plenty of friends and loads of cash.

He would leave Australia as a departing captain, not as a fleeing fugitive.

The idea of abandoning the stressful Melbourne underworld and the annoying Purana taskforce by way of a relaxing sea cruise attracted Mokbel, even if his nautical experience was limited to buzzing around on one of his top-of-the-range jet-skis.

Late on the afternoon of June 5, 2008, two people accused of helping Mokbel flee appeared in court.

Angela Nissirios, 46, of Burnside, and Bassillios (Byron) Pantazis, 62, of Reservoir, appeared briefly before Magistrate Felicity Broughton, where they were remanded until September.

Mr Pantazis was charged with nine offences, including intent to pervert the course of justice, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, accessory after the fact, trafficking methylamphetamine, possession of methylamphetamine and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Ms Nissirios had been charged with intent to pervert the course of justice, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, accessory after the fact and dealing with the proceeds of crime knowing the property was the proceeds of crime.

Ms Nissirios was tearful during the hearing.

Bob Galbally, for Mr Pantazis, said his client suffered serious physical ailments and takes about eight medications each day. He had an operation on his legs 10 days ago.

Neither applied for bail but their lawyers indicated both would apply for bail in the future.

The Supreme Court was told that Mokbel's trusted ally Byron Pantazis was in charge of the escape plan. He allegedly flew to Greece to meet a contact, Theodore Angelakis, and the pair had recruited four Greek sailors to help them execute Operation Tony.

The sailors arrived in Sydney in September 2006 and purchased a 17.3-metre yacht, the Edwena, through a broker for $350,000. Sturdy and built in 1988, it seemed perfect: sound enough for a long trip but not ostentatious enough to draw unwanted attention.

The selling owner, Edward Byrne, said the buyers told him they would change the sail locker into a cabin with a toilet for two crew and they would create a second bathroom so it could be used as a cruise vessel in Greece.

"As far as I was aware, they were going to sail it around the south coast to Perth then to Greece," he said.

Mr Byrne knew the boat was up to the task as it had twice sailed around the world.

It was transferred to the ownership of a Mokbel front company and sailed to Newcastle, where it was pulled out of the water and loaded onto a heavy truck.

For six days the wide-load truck moved slowly through three states - NSW, South Australia and Western Australia - only travelling in daylight and accompanied by pilot cars front and rear equipped with signs and flashing lights. It was hardly a discreet operation.

Finally it was slipped back into the water and sailed to the Customs Jetty at the Fremantle Sailing Club.

There three Greek sailors (the fourth apparently having headed home) readied the craft for an ocean voyage.

Locals soon realised money appeared to be no object as they spent $70,000 in days.

They bought new generators, an auto-pilot, sails, a desalination unit, fuel containers and Zodiac life-craft. They also bought a special toilet that was fitted in the bow of the craft.

Police would later find the toilet was to be for the exclusive use of the crew's VIP passenger. It was Tony's throne.

The Greeks told Customs they were setting sail for the Seychelles on November 11 and there was no reason to disbelieve them. Only the cynical would have noticed they had purchased four state-of-the-art life-jackets for the three-man crew. And only the superstitious would have noticed the name of the yacht - Edwena - means "rich friend".

Meanwhile, Mokbel's team hired two vehicles from the Preston Budget office and Mokbel was driven across the country. The vehicles were dropped off in Perth on November 12.

Police believe that Mokbel was loaded onto the yacht along the WA coast between Perth and Geraldton, possibly by the Zodiac, and with the prevailing winds headed to Greek waters via the Maldives and the Suez Canal.

There is little doubt that during the voyage of more than 40 days and 40 nights, Mokbel came to regret his bravado. Police have been told he was violently seasick every day. Tony's throne, it would seem, was made to work overtime,

He disembarked in Greek waters on Christmas Eve to rediscover his land legs, believing he was finally free.

He was wrong. Mokbel's new life in Greece was good, but there was trouble back home, where some of his closest associates began to jump ship and make statements to Purana. The Supreme Court yesterday granted a restraining order to stop the boat being sold while criminal charges are pending against Mokbel and a registered co-owner, Angela Verykios, Pantazis' sister-in-law.

The pair are accused of being key players in the plot to smuggle Mokbel out of Australia, which police believe cost about $1 million. Angela Verykios (now Nissirios), 46, of Burnside, and Bassillios "Byron" Pantazis, 63, of Reservoir, yesterday appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court charged with offences including perverting the course of justice, assisting Mokbel to flee the country and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Pantazis' daughter, Yvonne Warfe, 34, of Burnside, appeared in an out-of-sessions hearing last night charged with perverting, conspiracy to pervert and accessory after the fact.

Two other men, George Elias and Chafic Issa, were charged in their prison cells.

Detective Inspector Bernie Edwards said: "My team at Purana conducted a brilliant investigation. They've come across this in relation to different proceeds of crime and they followed it right through."

He said police had executed 50 warrants in WA, NSW and Queensland in the weeks preceding thes arrests.

Suspect spoke to killers, court told
(Herald Sun)
June 5, 2008

An accused career criminal linked by police to two convicted gangland killers has been denied bail on firearms charges.

Hizir Ferman, 27, has been charged with two counts of being a prohibited person in possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of cannabis.

Mr Ferman was arrested when Special Operations Group police intercepted a vehicle in which he was a passenger in Glenroy on April 16.

Sen-Det Mark Nichols, of the armed crime taskforce, alleged Mr Ferman removed something from his waistband and placed it down beside the seat.

He said a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun was later found between the passenger seat and the console.

The driver was allegedly found with a black bag on his lap containing a .357 magnum Smith & Wesson revolver and a bag with five grams of cannabis.

Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard the driver had been in regular phone contact with gangland killers Carl Williams and Evangelos Goussis before his arrest.

Sen-Det Nichols told the court Mr Ferman had been identified as a "person of interest" in a shooting at Gladstone Park a week earlier.

Magistrate Maurice Gurvich refused bail. He said the evidence suggested Mr Ferman, of Port Melbourne, was a career criminal who associated with "like-minded" offenders and had failed to appear in court several times.

The court heard another man had made a statutory declaration claiming he had left the 9mm handgun in the car, but Sen-Det Nichols said the man had since admitted the declaration was false.

Man shot in street
June 4, 2008

A man has been shot in the leg in mysterious circumstances in Glenroy.

The 27-year-old man told police he was walking along Widford St when he was shot in the calf by someone in a car just after 7.30pm.

The man told police he was then taken to the Northern Hospital by some friends who happened to drive past but he could not identify them.

Detectives from the Armed Crime Task Force went to the scene where the victim said he had been shot and intercepted a suspicious car.

They uncovered a shotgun and are questioning a man over the shooting incident.

Senior Constable David Fitzgerald said police were conducting forensic tests of the car and the gun.

More on 'The Untouchables'.

Drug ring pair convicted
(Herald Sun)
June 5, 2008

A member of an international drug syndicate run by the supergrass who brought down the Victorian drug squad has been jailed for three months.

But a second man who played a lesser role in the cocaine smuggling ring walked from court with a conviction and $4000 fine.

Alexander Leigh Neil Pugh and Ben Roberts were minor players in the organisation run by the supergrass from the Netherlands, Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard.

The supergrass secretly taped his dealings with corrupt drug squad detectives and major crime figures, but fled the country in 2004.

Extradition proceedings are under way to bring him back to face drug conspiracy charges.

The court heard Pugh's job was to help the drug ring's alleged Australian boss, Shanu Krawiec, organise money for the operation's cocaine imports. Police are also seeking to extradite Mr Krawiec from Thailand.

The court heard Mr Krawiec and the supergrass arranged for foreigners to fly to Australia.

On arrival the couriers would open bank accounts, then leave the country. Mr Krawiec and other syndicate members used the accounts to make deposits.

ATM cards were sent overseas so the cash could be withdrawn without leaving a paper trail.

About $540,000 was put into 38 syndicate accounts in 2006 and 2007.

Roberts, 33, of Reservoir, drove Mr Krawiec to banks, while Pugh, 32, of Hawthorn, put $35,900 into syndicate accounts and sent ATM cards overseas.

Pugh also deposited $15,500 in separate lots to avoid transaction reporting requirements that would have set off alarm bells with authorities.

The court heard that Roberts told police his "wilful blindness" meant he was unaware he was helping a major drug trafficking operation.

Magistrate Belinda Wallington said Roberts had a limited role in the operation on just one day, but Pugh was involved over five months.

She jailed Pugh for three months on charges of structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements and dealing with money reckless of the risk of it being used in a crime.

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