A Warrawong man accused of importing $6 million worth of drugs concealed inside tiles shipped from Europe has been refused bail for the second time in court after a magistrate determined the case against him appeared “overwhelming[ly] strong”.
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Ahmad El Hage was arrested on November 10 after police allegedly uncovered 20kgs of cocaine hidden inside two container loads of granite tiles the 35-year-old had ordered through his newly established import/export company.
Court documents reveal Australian Federal Police seized the drugs before reconstructing the pallets to their original state and releasing them to the Sydney Port Authority for on-delivery to El Hage.
The two containers were delivered to a warehouse in Oak Flats. Police allege El Hage and a co-accused, Zachary Chie, spent the next few days attempting to break apart the blocks with a sledgehammer in a bid to find the drugs.
Officers secretly recorded a conversation between El Hage, Chie and a third man speaking over a mobile phone who instructed them about where to find the “stuff” in the granite blocks.
Both men were subsequently charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and refused bail by police.
In court on Wednesday, Magistrate Michael Stoddart found El Hage had not shown cause why his ongoing detention wasn’t justified.
“If he’s convicted it will most likely result in a significant custodial sentence….It’s my view, considering the material before the court, it appears to be an overwhelming[ly] strong prosecution case,” he said.
“I accept there are certain difficulties he’s facing and his family will be vulnerable if he remains in custody pending the trial, but it’s my view not withstanding that….that bail should be refused.”
It is the second time El Hage has been refused bail recently: in December last year, Magistrate Cate Follent refused to release El Hage from custody despite his lawyer suggesting his client had been “used as a stooge by other people”.
The court heard prosecutors had served the majority of the brief of evidence against the two men, however there were still transcripts of telephone intercepts that were outstanding.
The case returns to court in March.
