Court Reduces Sentence of Gangland Boss Tony Mokbel
Former gangland leader Tony Mokbel has won a significant legal victory after a court ruled he will not serve any additional time in prison for a drug trafficking conviction.
Background and Sentence History
Mokbel, a major figure in Melbourne’s gangland war, was initially sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2012 following his guilty plea to serious drug offenses. This sentence was later adjusted to a minimum of 22 years before parole. After serving 18 years, he was released on bail in April 2025.
Appeals Based on Informant Revelations
His appeals were connected to convictions from three police operations: Orbital, Magnum, and Quills. These appeals were motivated by revelations that his lawyer, Nicola Gobbo, had acted as a police informant.
Last month, the Court of Appeal quashed convictions and acquitted Mokbel for his trafficking offences related to the Quills operation.
The court ordered a new trial for his MDMA importation and trafficking charges from the Orbital operation. The appeal regarding the Magnum case, which involved trafficking methylamphetamine internationally while Mokbel was overseas from 2006 to 2007, was dismissed.
Final Sentence Adjustment
On Thursday, Victoria’s Court of Appeal overturned Mokbel’s original 2012 sentence, reducing it to 13 years, 7 months, and 15 days.
Summary
Tony Mokbel’s sentence has been substantially shortened and some convictions overturned due to legal challenges stemming from his lawyer’s dual role as a police informant.