By Tara Cosoleto, Aap
The alleged ringleader of an illicit tobacco syndicate has walked from court despite police pleading to keep him locked up after he was arrested while trying to leave the country.
Nazir Haddara, 25, who lives in Hoppers Crossing, did not speak to media after being released on bail from Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday, October 24.
He was about to board a flight to Dubai on Tuesday, October 22, when he was arrested and charged with four offences, including directing the activities of a criminal organisation.
Detective Senior Constable Jessica Keenan alleged Haddara was a flight risk given he was arrested at Melbourne Airport and had access to “multitudes of cash“.
Haddara put a deposit for a luxury villa in Dubai earlier in October, the court was told.
But the detective conceded Haddara had a return flight scheduled a week later and he had recently returned from a holiday in Thailand, while on bail for unrelated charges.
Magistrate Michelle Hodgson found those factors had “neutralised“ his flight risk as she bailed Haddara on Thursday.
She said while the risk of Haddara endangering the community was “significant“, it could be reduced through several bail conditions, including a $150,000 surety.
“I am satisfied the conditions could be put in place that would mitigate the risk to an acceptable level,“ she said.
Police allege Haddara is the head of a syndicate leasing Victorian retail stores to sell and distribute illegal tobacco and vapes.
Officers have seized more than one million illicit tobacco sticks, 50kg of loose leaf tobacco and 10,440 e-cigarettes since their investigations into the syndicate started in January, Det Sen Const Keenan said.
It’s estimated the loss of revenue to the Commonwealth is more than $2.5 million.
Haddara allegedly directed lower-ranked members through encrypted messaging apps such as Signal and held bank accounts that received credit from the stores, the detective said.
The 25-year-old has received $4 million into his bank accounts since March 2022 despite being unemployed and not lodging a tax return in three years, Det Sen Const Keenan said.
Police searched his Hoppers Crossing home after his arrest on Tuesday and seized $40,000 cash concealed in nappies and a Lamborghini.
Detective Senior Constable Keenan claimed Haddara was an unacceptable threat if released on bail, for the safety of the community and as a flight risk.
But under questioning from Haddara’s barrister Ian Hill KC, she conceded there was no evidence he was directly involved in recent arson attacks and ram raids against tobacco stores.
Mr Hill argued long court delays trumped any risk that could be ameliorated with bail conditions.
He said there was a real chance the case would not go to trial until 2028, given there were at least 10 co-accused and thousands of phone intercepts to be analysed.
The magistrate accepted the delay would be significant and outside the usual range and granted Haddara bail on conditions including the $150,000 surety, posted by his older brother Ahmad.
Haddara cannot leave the country or attend international points of departure, go to stores or businesses selling illicit tobacco or vapes and will face a nightly curfew.
Ms Hodgson also granted bail to Haddara’s cousin and co-accused, Hassan Jassem.
The 21-year-old is alleged to have managed stores in Victoria’s western region connected to the syndicate.
He is accused of delivering illicit tobacco and was allegedly found with more than $10,000 cash and 15,000 illicit tobacco sticks when he was arrested in Echuca on Tuesday.
The magistrate imposed similar bail conditions to Haddara’s stipulations, including a $100,000 surety from his mother.
The pair and 26-year-old co-accused Isse Isse are due to return to Melbourne Magistrates Court in March.
