Underworld Kingpin Mokbel Avoids Return to Prison
Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel has been sentenced to time already served after losing a bid to overturn one of his convictions. Mokbel, 60, will not serve additional time for trafficking 41kg of methamphetamine while on the run.
After the Victorian Court of Appeal’s decision on Thursday, Mokbel appeared relieved and shared a passionate kiss with his girlfriend. He initially sought to have his 2006 conviction quashed, alleging that barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo had compromised his case.
Appeal Outcome and Sentence
In October, the court refused his appeal on the drug-trafficking charge related to police operation Magnum. His conviction was upheld, and Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye re-sentenced him to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days in jail—a sentence equivalent to time already served.
Justice McLeish noted that while the offending was serious and flagrant, Mokbel's unusual circumstances warranted a more modest sentence.
Details of the Offending
- Mokbel committed the Magnum offences between July 2006 and June 2007 while on the run for other charges.
- He trafficked more than 41kg of methamphetamine, generating over $4 million in turnover.
- During this period, he was hiding out in regional Victoria and Greece.
Previous Legal History
- Mokbel was arrested and extradited to Melbourne in 2008.
- He pleaded guilty in 2011 to the Magnum offence and two other drug charges.
- Earlier in 2025, he successfully appealed the two other convictions related to cases known as Quills and Orbital.
Author’s summary: Tony Mokbel has avoided further imprisonment by serving the full sentence for trafficking methamphetamine while on the run, despite his failed appeal related to a tainted conviction claim.