Tears as $6m fails to secure ex-Manly sponsor bail on drug charges
Former Manly sponsor Robby Melhem charged over huge cocaine bust
Robby Melhem, once a major sponsor of the Manly Sea Eagles, has been refused bail after being charged over a major drug bust.
Sources have told Fairfax Media that during his sponsorship of Manly, which finished several years ago, Mr Melhem had allegedly been supplying cocaine and prostitutes to some players as well as making cash payments to some in breach of salary cap regulations. On several occasions at private parties hosted by Mr Melhem he allegedly provided cocaine to some players.
Just after 9am on Thursday, the former mobile phone entrepreneur and property developer was nabbed after he allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover police officer at Sydney Olympic Park. By day's end detectives from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) had seized 22kg of cocaine from an apartment Mr Melhem's syndicate rented for $830 per week in Refinery Drive, Pyrmont. Earlier in the week, as part of the same investigation, police also allegedly seized 3kg of cocaine and 5kg of ephedrine.
During other searches, police seized more than $100,000 cash, two motor vehicles, methylamphetamine, laptops, mobile phones, electronic devices and clothing.
Only last week surveillance officers watched Mr Melhem, 43, allegedly putting a large amount of pseudoephedrine in the boot of a car for someone else to pick up. Also arrested was Christian Wickramasinghe, 40, who has previously served time in jail in New Zealand over the importation of heroin worth almost $30 million.
Police began investigating Mr Melhem in April and allege that he was running the syndicate through encrypted messages sent between BlackBerry phones.
Michael McCarry, a cocaine addict on the dole, was allegedly employed as a courier yet never met Mr Melhem, according to an agreed statement of facts tendered in Newtown Local Court on Friday. The father-of-three from Annandale was allegedly paid between $500 to $2000 per delivery.
Surveillance officers watched on as, on August 15, he drove to a food shop in Mascot and transported a cardboard box from one car boot to another containing 2kg of cocaine.
On Friday, his lawyer argued that Mr McCarry, 46, didn't know what the two white bricks with Red Bull insignia inside the box were.
Magistrate Margaret Quinn denied Mr McCarry bail, saying the Crown case was too strong.
She said it was an "unattractive fact" that Mr McCarry was collecting the dole and a carer's payment to look after his mother and uncle while also seemingly earning up to $2000 per delivery. Mr Melhem's arrest marks a stunning fall from grace for the entrepreneur who was once a major sponsor of the Sea Eagles and at one stage a prospective buyer. It was at Mr Melhem's harbourside mansion in Kirribilli in September 2010 that the family, teammates and supporters of Brett Stewart gathered to celebrate the Manly star's acquittal of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
In retirement, former Manly captain Ben Kennedy and Mr Melhem went into a property development venture on the outskirts of Cairns and, in more recent years, Mr Melhem offered to help Anthony Watmough with business opportunities.
It is not suggested that Stewart, Watmough or Kennedy were involved in any wrongdoing in connection with Mr Melhem.
Mr Melhem has a number of colourful business partners including Auburn brothel owner Saim Semaan and convicted cocaine dealer Joe Frangieh, with whom Mr Melhem was involved in a Queensland property company.
Mr Melhem is also an associate of Hells Angels' bikie bosses Daniel Callaghan and Wayne Schneider, who was murdered in Thailand in 2015.
Mr Melhem was refused bail and will be back before Burwood Local Court on October 11.
Source:
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/former-ma...d-over-huge-cocaine-bust-20170818-gxzg66.html
A former Manly Sea Eagles sponsor and once-successful mobile phone entrepreneur has been refused bail over his alleged role in a multimillion-dollar drug ring despite offering up a $6 million surety.
Robert George Melhem sobbed as he appeared via video link in Burwood Local Court on Tuesday, 11 days after being arrested in a major drug sting.
It was a far cry from the sports star-studded parties the 43-year-old had been known to host.
Most notable was the bash he threw at his Kirribilli mansion in 2010 for supporters of Brett Stewart after the Manly player was acquitted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
Melhem, known as "Robby", was arrested last month after allegedly orchestrating the supply of 18 kilograms of drugs to an undercover officer.
The supply was carried out over four separate deals, it is alleged, and organised using BlackBerry-encrypted messages.
In all, Melhem allegedly supplied three kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of pseudoephedrine and five kilograms of ephedrine.
Seven kilograms were allegedly supplied on "tick". As a result, the court heard, Melhem may owe more than $560,000 to someone further up the supply chain.
Melhem, who once entertained the idea of buying the Manly Sea Eagles, flourished after founding OneFone, one of OneTel's largest connection providers, in 1999.
Despite the telco's collapse a few years later, Melhem salvaged and continued his success, spanning property development and most recently, the distribution of ready-made meals.
However, that came to an abrupt halt on August 17 when Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) detectives arrested Melhem at Sydney's Olympic Park.
It is alleged he communicated with a customer - who was in fact an undercover police officer - to organise the four drug deals in August.
On August 7 Melhem allegedly sent an encrypted message stating: "Mate I just got 2 loose vacuum seal Pure Mother Pearl kegs (cooks 97%)".
"You can have for $185,000. Can give u 2 tonight and pay me next week," Melhem allegedly wrote, according to police facts tendered in court.
A meeting was arranged at the Waterview Cafe in Bicentennial Park four days later.
Melhem allegedly outlined a plan to drive to Mascot, where the undercover officer was handed a black garbage bag containing more than one kilogram of cocaine.
In exchange, the officer handed over $185,000 to the alleged courier carrying out the exchange.
Surveillance officers located Melhem nearby while the deal took place, the facts state.
Two couriers, including a cocaine addict on the dole and a convicted heroin trafficker, have also been charged, accused of delivering the drugs at Melhem's behest.
After the trio's arrest last month, police also raided a Pyrmont apartment, linked to Melhem's syndicate, and found 22 kilograms of cocaine inside.
Conceding the prosecution case was not weak, Melhem's barrister, Phillip Boulten SC, told the court there would be difficulty added to the prosecution burden in proving guilt.
This included the allegation Melhem communicated with the undercover officer through encrypted BlackBerry messages despite police never finding such a device in Melhem's possession.
During Melhem's bail application, the court heard he was the breadwinner for some of his family and had been paying off a mortgage on a property where some relatives lived.
"There will be a very, very big disaster if the mortgage is not paid," Mr Boulten said.
In a bid to secure his release, Melhem's supporters, some of whom cried and waved from the public gallery, offered up a $6.1 million surety.
The father-of-four also proposed strict bail conditions, including "virtual home detention" and forfeiting his passport, the court heard.
Mr Boulten said some investors had trusted Melhem with large amounts of money for his new Queensland-based business, which distributed pre-packaged meals.
If that business collapsed, Melhem and those investors would lose a substantial amount of money.
Opposing bail, prosecutor Jacquie Brown said Melhem's ability to offer large amounts of drugs on credit showed he "clearly has access to significant funds".
"The Crown says because of that he will have the means not only to commit further serious offences but also the means to flee the jurisdiction," she said.
Labelling the prosecution case as "strong", Ms Brown said conversations between Melhem and the undercover officer were recorded.
There was also physical surveillance and alleged BlackBerry messages about the drug supply, in which the words "coke and pseudoephedrine" were used, she added.
Magistrate Julie Soars refused Melhem's bail application, finding there was a real risk of flight and "alleged drug supply in order to fund day to day living arrangements".
The case was adjourned to October.
Source:
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/tears-as-...sor-bail-on-drug-charges-20170829-gy6c73.html
