Elie Khoury: Alleged kingpin of drug syndicate complains about home detention

Alleged ‘kingpin’ of $20millIon drug syndicate complains home detention has made him POOR as he begs for his tiling job back and pleads for his ankle monitor to be removed

  • Elie Khoury, 33, part of an alleged interstate money laundering, drug syndicate
  • He was arrested in September 2020 and has been in home detention since
  • He pleaded to be allowed to return to work as his first child is due to be born 

The allege mastermind of a $20million drug syndicate has pleaded with a judge to take off his ankle monitor because home detention has made him poor.

Elie Khoury, 33, is one of seven people charged by South Australian police in September 2020, over an alleged money laundering and drug dealing gang.

The former tiler complained through his lawyer in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, saying he is struggling to support his young family and wants his old job back.

In October 2020, police prosecutors alleged Khoury was the gang’s ‘kingpin’.

A former tiler who police allege is the mastermind of a $20million drug syndicate has claimed he is ‘a changed man’ and wants his old job back so he can support his young family

Elie Khoury, 33, is one of seven people charged by South Australian police over an alleged money laundering and drug dealing gang, which was busted in September 2020

Elie Khoury, 33, is one of seven people charged by South Australian police over an alleged money laundering and drug dealing gang, which was busted in September 2020

‘I’ve been under financial hardship since my arrest, I haven’t been able to work, I’ve had to borrow money from friends and family,’ he said while answering questions from his barrister Michael Abbott QC.

His wife is expecting his first child to be born sometime in July. 

Khoury, from Wynn Vale, SA, claimed he should be released from home detention as he was offered by a subcontractor that would take him to different parts of the state. 

Mr Abbott conceded his client had breached bail conditions previously – and had committed the offences he was detained for while on bail.

But he said there were no allegations Khoury had committed any offences in the past six months.

‘He is, he tells me, a changed man,’ Mr Abbott said. 

Khoury is facing five charges of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and two counts of money laundering.

The court heard prosecutors previously allege the gang laundered between $4million and $20million through sports betting accounts at up to $100,000 a week.

They also alleged the gang ‘trafficked’ methylamphetamine and cannabis worth a similar amount.

Through his lawyer, Khoury, 33, claimed he had 'changed' and pleaded with Adelaide Magistrates Court to release him from home detention so he could earn a living in his old job as a qualified tiler

Through his lawyer, Khoury, 33, claimed he had ‘changed’ and pleaded with Adelaide Magistrates Court to release him from home detention so he could earn a living in his old job as a qualified tiler

The trial of the seven people alleged to be involved in the syndicate operating between Adelaide and Sydney, may not take place until 2023.

SA’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, declined to lessen the severity of Khoury’s bail.

He must continue to wear an electronic tracking device and will face court again in June.

The alleged syndicate came to police attention when a semi-trailer was stopped at Truro on September 4 last year.

Officers found $228,000 in the cab and 39kg of cannabis secreted in the side of the trailer.

Three people from Virginia, SA, Peter John Stevens, 34, and his parents Michael, 55, and Stella, 57, were charged.

Martin Furdan, 40, and Katie Elain Ambaras, 27, both from Waterloo Corner. were charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

Another man, Senan Solaka, was charged with knowingly engaging in money laundering.