Underworld Kingpin Mokbel Avoids Return to Prison
Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel has been sentenced to time already served after failing to quash his conviction related to trafficking 41kg of methamphetamine.
Mokbel, 60, showed relief and embraced his girlfriend after the Victorian Court of Appeal issued its decision on Thursday. He had sought to overturn his 2006 conviction, arguing that barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo had compromised his case.
Appeal Outcome and Sentence
In October, the court rejected Mokbel's appeal against the drug-trafficking charge known as Operation Magnum. The conviction was upheld, and Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye re-sentenced Mokbel to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days in prison—a term he has already served.
Justice McLeish remarked that although the offence was serious and blatant, Mokbel's unusual circumstances justified a more lenient sentence.
Details of the Crime
Between July 2006 and June 2007, while evading authorities on separate charges, Mokbel trafficked over 41 kilograms of methamphetamine, generating revenue exceeding $4 million. During this period, he was hiding in regional Victoria and Greece.
He was arrested and extradited to Melbourne in 2008 and pleaded guilty in 2011 to the Magnum offence along with two additional drug charges.
Other Legal Proceedings
Earlier in 2025, Mokbel successfully appealed two other convictions referred to as Quills and Orbital.
Summary: Despite serious drug trafficking convictions, Tony Mokbel’s re-sentencing to time served reflects the court's recognition of his unique circumstances during the offences.