A Horsley man who was arrested following raids at several Illawarra homes after a global police operation uncovered alleged criminals using a supposedly secure communication app has faced court for the first time since being released on bail.
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Luke Andreou fronted Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday after he was charged with weapons, drugs and proceeds of crime offences.
Andreou's arrest followed a complex, global operation that duped hundreds of the world's underworld figures, bikies and mafiosos into using a FBI-developed app, called ANoM, that instead fed their alleged plans to agents as part of Operation Ironside.
In court on Tuesday, Andreou's case was adjourned for two weeks so the police could determine whether the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions' office will elect to take carriage of the case and prosecute it.
The 31-year-old was granted strict conditional bail on June 7 after Australian Federal Police swooped on his home the day before.
Andreou was charged with two counts of possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm, handling an explosive/precursor without an authorising licence, possessing and supplying prohibited drugs, dealing with property proceeds of crime more than $100,000, not being a police officer wearing a police uniform and dealing with property proceeds of crime less than $100,000.
His bail conditions include abiding by a 6pm curfew and for an acceptable person to forfeit $10,000 should he breach bail.
Read more court-crime stories here.
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