Underworld Kingpin Mokbel Avoids Return to Prison
Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel has been sentenced to time already served after failing to overturn a conviction related to trafficking 41kg of methamphetamine while evading capture.
Key Court Decision
Mokbel, 60, appeared relieved and embraced his girlfriend following the Victorian Court of Appeal's ruling on Thursday. He had sought to quash his conviction for the 2006 offenses, arguing that barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo had compromised his case. However, the court rejected this appeal in October, upholding his drug-trafficking conviction under police operation "Magnum."
Sentencing Details
The court re-sentenced Mokbel to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days—matching the time he has already served. Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye acknowledged the gravity of the crimes but took into account Mokbel's unusual circumstances to issue a more moderate sentence.
Background on the Offense
- Mokbel committed the trafficking offense between July 2006 and June 2007 while on the run for other charges.
- He trafficked over 41 kilograms of methamphetamine, generating $4 million, while hiding in regional Victoria and Greece.
- Arrested and extradited to Melbourne in 2008, Mokbel pleaded guilty in 2011 to the Magnum offense and two other drug charges.
- He successfully appealed two additional convictions, known as Quills and Orbital, in early 2025.
"While the offending was serious and flagrant, Mokbel's unusual circumstances warranted the more modest sentence." — Justice Stephen McLeish
Author's summary: Despite the severity of Tony Mokbel's drug trafficking crimes, the Victorian Court of Appeal has sentenced him to time served, considering his unique case circumstances.