Horty Brother of Tony Mokbel applies for bail
Police fear the brother of fugitive drug baron Tony Mokbel could use the same route to flee the country if released on bail over serious drug charges, a Melbourne court has heard.
Horty Mokbel, who was arrested last Friday on five charges including trafficking a large quantity of methylamphetamine, appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court for a bail application.
Detective Senior Constable Tim Johns, of the Purana Taskforce, told the court the 43-year-old was "very close" to his brother Tony Mokbel and was believed to have access to the same resources and contacts to abscond.
He said Horty Mokbel was in a similar situation to his brother and if convicted he would face a lengthy period in jail.
He said Horty Mokbel also had a high level of "unexplained wealth".
While his tax returns for the past eight financial years declared $50,000 income, he had bank account deposits of $683,000 and $419,000 in credit card payments over the same period, the court heard.
When Horty Mokbel's lawyer Stephen Shirrefs SC asked what evidence police had that Tony Mokbel had absconded, Det Snr Const Johns said that came from AFP intelligence, but it had not yet determined the route he had taken.
"That leads me to believe that leaves the same route available to the applicant (Horty)." "I believe that he would have knowledge about the way he got out of the country."
Det Snr Const Johns said Horty Mokbel was also the subject of an ongoing police investigation into the large-scale manufacture and distribution of amphetamine.
He said recent police surveillance showed he continued to associate with known amphetamine cooks and he was currently involved in trying to arrange surety for one that was on remand.
On Friday, Horty Mokbel was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine, attempting to possess methylamphetamine, trafficking a commercial quantity of phenyl 2 propanone and dealing with $9,205 being the proceeds of crime.
Police allege that an accomplished amphetamine cook - who has been convicted of drug trafficking - has made statements to them that he manufactured amphetamine for Horty Mokbel between May 2005 and April 2006.
Horty Mokbel's bail application before Donna Bakos continues.
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