Daddy drug lord driver

Son allegedly picked up ice for cross-border racket

alexandria.utting@news.com.au Erkan Keskin are facing a committal hearing for their alleged involvement with the syndicate.

Police allege the racket was operated in Queensland by Paul Vella, who met Keskin in Sydney on several occasions between November 2013 and April 2014 to arrange drug shipments to the Gold Coast.

The syndicate used car terminology such as “cars” and “carburettor kits” as code words for the drugs, the court was told. 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES HOST CITY

Keskin, a former Turkish soldier, was charged with trafficking in October last year after he was arrested at his luxury Sydney mansion.

Joshua Vella has been charged with several offences including trafficking, possession and the aggravated supply of dangerous drugs.

Paul Vella is in custody in NSW.

Crime and Corruption Commission detective sergeant Alexander Dmitrovic yesterday said Joshua Vella and Keskin were arrested after “hundreds, if not thousands” of telephone intercepts. He said one intercept captured Vella about to describe the contents of the package before his father told him to “think about what he was doing”.

Vella is accused of delivering a package to the syndicate’s distributor at an Alex Fisher Drive workshop before leaving with a water bottle Mr Dmitrovic said contained drugs.

“As soon as it was handed over it was distributed for three weeks,” Mr Dmitrovic said.

Meth was allegedly sold from the property for 23 days after Joshua Vella’s delivery.

After more than two weeks, police allege they intercepted the sale of 56g of ice, found to be 74 per cent pure.

Defence barrister Tony Kimmins argued Joshua Vella would not have been aware of the quantity of drugs.

However, Mr Dmitrovic said Vella “would have had an idea of how big it was” given he collected it.

“Joshua Vella had intricate knowledge of (the) drug operation ... and he was an important part of that.”

It was put to Mr Dmitrovic there was no direct phone intercepts linking Keskin to trafficking. He replied police had attempted to lure Keskin into a “fake sense of safety” not following him or “upsetting him” but keeping tabs on his associates and their interactions.

The committal hearing continues today.