The co-accused of an alleged illicit tobacco syndicate was allegedly found with more than $10,000 cash and 15,000 illicit tobacco sticks when he was arrested in Echuca on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. or signup to continue reading Hassan Jassem, 21, and his cousin Nazir Haddara, 25, were released on bail from Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon. Haddara has been accused of being the ringleader of the alleged crime syndicate has walked from court despite police pleading to keep him locked up after he was arrested while trying to leave the country.
He was about to board a flight to Dubai on Tuesday when he was arrested and charged with four offences, including directing the activities of a criminal organisation. Detective Senior Constable Jessica Keenan alleged Haddara was a flight risk given he was arrested at Melbourne Airport and had access to "multitudes of cash". Haddara put a deposit for a luxury villa in Dubai earlier in October, the court was told.
But the detective conceded Haddara had a return flight scheduled a week later and he had recently returned from a holiday in Thailand, while on bail for unrelated charges. Magistrate Michelle Hodgson found those factors had "neutralised" his flight risk as she bailed Haddara on Thursday. She said while the risk of Haddara endangering the community was "significant", it could be reduced through several bail conditions, including a $150,000 surety.
"I am satisfied the conditions could be put in place that would mitig.
