Underworld kingpin Mokbel avoids a return to prison
Drug lord Tony Mokbel has been sentenced to time already served after losing a legal bid. He will not serve additional prison time for trafficking 41kg of methamphetamine while on the run.
Mokbel, 60, expressed relief by looking down and sharing a passionate kiss with his girlfriend after the Victorian Court of Appeal delivered its decision on Thursday.
He initially sought to have his 2006 conviction overturned, claiming that barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo tainted his case. However, in October, the court rejected his appeal regarding the drug trafficking charges under police operation Magnum.
The court upheld his conviction and re-sentenced him to 13 years, 7 months, and 15 days in jail, a period he has already served.
Justice Stephen McLeish noted that despite the seriousness of the offense, Mokbel's unique circumstances justified a lighter sentence.
Details of the Offense and Arrest
While on the run for other charges, Mokbel committed the Magnum offense between July 2006 and June 2007, trafficking over 41kg of methamphetamine and generating $4 million, while hiding in regional Victoria and Greece.
He was arrested and extradited to Melbourne in 2008 and pleaded guilty in 2011 to this and two other drug charges. Earlier this year, he successfully appealed those convictions, known as Quills and Orbital.
Author's summary: Mokbel avoided further prison time after his appeal, having already served a sentence for trafficking drugs during his time on the run, with his case marked by legal disputes and appeals.