Standen co-accused refused bail

Tag : drug material

Lebanese-born Bakhos Jalalaty, 45, was arrested earlier this monthin a series of international raids linked to an alleged racketinvolving the drug ice.
Mr Jalalaty and Mr Standen are accused of conspiring with BritonJames Kinch to bring 600kg of pseudoephedrine into Australia -enough of the precursor to make almost 500kg of the illicit drugice.
The trio allegedly planned to import the drug in a rice shipment,and Mr Jalalaty promised Mr Standen and Mr Kinch $1 million each inprofit if they successfully imported 100kg of the drug, tenderedpolice facts state.
Mr Jalalaty faced Central Local Court today on three conspiracycharges - one of importing a large commercial quantity of aprecursor drug, one of supplying a large commercial quantity of anillegal drug and one of perverting the course of justice.
The federal agent in charge of the case against Mr Jalalaty,Katherine Fox, told Magistrate Allan Moore the father-of-threeposed a serious flight risk. He was born in Lebanon and hadresidency in the United Arab Emirates, where he travelled at leastonce every six months, Agent Fox said.
"Police are concerned that Jalalaty's overseas contacts,particularly in Dubai, may be able to assist him to abscond,"she told the court.
Mr Jalalaty's barrister, Greg Jones, told Mr Moore there were anumber of serious flaws in the case against his client.
Of the telephone intercept material, 70 per cent was unintelligibleor unclear, and open to any number of interpretations, Mr Jonessaid.
He also produced an email from Mr Kinch to Mr Standen last Novemberwhich, Mr Jones claimed, showed an intent to exclude Mr Jalalatyfrom their activities.
Referring to Mr Jalalaty as "Myrtle", Mr Kinch derideshim as a "real Walter Mitty ... Mr Bean of the businessworld".
"We are so lucky to of (sic) discovered our faults now and notlet her loose with our pension fund," Mr Kinch, who callshimself Linda, writes.
Mr Jones said this attempt to cut Jalalaty out of the deal cast theconspiracy charges against him into doubt.
But Hament Dhanji, for the Commonwealth, argued that the emailincriminated rather than exculpated Mr Jalalaty.
Mr Moore agreed, saying the $100,000 surety and offer of the MrJalalaty family home to secure bail paled in comparison to the $120million worth of ice the scam could have generated.
"It's a particularly strong case on the electronicsurveillance," Mr Moore said.
Mr Jalalaty was remanded in custody at Parklea prison. His wife,Dianne, a former federal police agent, was present in court for thehearing.
Both he and Mr Standen are due to appear in the same court onAugust 6. Share this article