BREAKING: In a stunning turn of events, former Australian drug kingpin Tony Mokbel has been partially exonerated after a court quashed one of his major drug trafficking convictions. The Court of Appeal ruled that the conviction was irreparably compromised by the ongoing Lawyer X scandal, significantly impacting Mokbel’s legal battle.
Mokbel, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2012 for orchestrating an extensive drug syndicate, is now set for a retrial on another serious charge, known as Orbital, while his appeal against the conviction labeled Magnum was denied. The court’s decision was handed down earlier today, September 2, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in this high-profile case.
The justices, Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye, found that Mokbel’s conviction for trafficking under the name Quills could not stand due to the involvement of Nicola Gobbo, who acted as a double agent for police while representing Mokbel. This revelation has raised significant questions about the integrity of the prosecution.
Mokbel will remain out on bail as he prepares to face a retrial for the charges related to Orbital, which involves trafficking MDMA and inciting the drug’s importation back in 2005. Meanwhile, the conviction under Magnum pertains to trafficking methylamphetamine from 2006 to 2007.
This case highlights the broader implications of the Lawyer X scandal, which has already seen other convictions overturned, including that of Faruk Orman, who was previously sentenced to 12 years for his role in the gangland execution of Victor Peirce.
The court’s decision today underscores the mounting scrutiny of past convictions linked to compromised evidence and raises concerns about the future of similar cases. Legal experts and observers are closely monitoring Mokbel’s next steps as the implications of this ruling reverberate through the Australian justice system.
With Mokbel’s partial exoneration, the focus now shifts to how this will affect ongoing investigations and the potential retrial for Orbital. This developing story is expected to have significant ramifications not only for Mokbel but also for the integrity of legal processes involving informants in Australia.
Stay tuned for more updates on this urgent legal battle as it unfolds.
