AML / CFT: Aus judge ready to refuse bail of AUD3.45 m for alleged drugs mastermind
An Australian Judge concluded that a surety of AUD3.45 million would not be sufficient to discourage 48 year old Pasquale Barbaro from taking flight. He's accused of being behind in an ecstasy syndicate that led to the largest ever drugs bust with an estimated value of AUD440 million.
Coghlan, J appears ready to deny bail despite the extraordinarily large surety on offer because the amounts involved in the case made the surety look tiny in comparison. And because he decided that Barbaro was a serious flight risk - and was likely to commit further offences while on bail.
The defence was appealing against an earlier refusal of bail by Magistrates in Melbourne argued that the trial was not expected to take place for more than three years after his arrest according to "optimistic" prosecution estimates that it would commence in February 2012. That, they said, was unjust. He had, they said, been bailed on a previous occasion. That, for seven weeks, was monitored by the novel device of installing a video camera at his home and he being required to "attend" before it when told to do so by the Australian Federal Police.
The Jersey Sting: A True Story of Crooked Pols, Money-laundering Rabbis, Black Market Kidneys, and the Informant Who Brought It All Down
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But the Judge took account of the fact that the Griffith, New South Wales resident was charged with additional - and very serious - offences including money laundering (AUD7.4 million), importing a large quantity of cocaine - and of conspiring with others to commit two murders.
However, the Judge did say that he thought the delay in bringing the case to trial was wrong; he said that there is a culture by prosecutors of doing the work at the last minute instead of expediting it in the hope of securing an earlier trial date.
Although the Judge's comments appear to give a clear indication of his thinking, he has not reached a final conclusion. The hearing has not yet concluded.
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