Notorious gang rapist Mohammed Skaf is back behind bars on remand after being charged with allegedly directing a drug supply ring in southwestern Sydney.
Mr Skaf, 43, was arrested at a Greenacre home as part of police raids on several properties in Sydney’s west and southwest late on Wednesday night.
Footage of his dramatic arrest showed Mr Skaf being hauled out of the house and placed on the edge of the footpath, breathing heavily as his hands were cuffed behind his back.
Dressed in a black Calvin Klein jumper, jacket and tracksuit pants, he was pinned to the ground by officers before being marched to a police vehicle.
Mr Skaf along with his two co-accused, Ahmed Warwar and Winter Egitmeglu, were arrested on Wednesday night before appearing in court on Thursday.
Officers investigating an alleged large-scale supply of cocaine and other illicit substances in Sydney’s southwest searched Mr Skaf’s home and a nearby park, where they allegedly found $25,000 cash and about 140g of cocaine.
Detective Chief Inspector Jeffrey Walsh said the investigation into the drug syndicate began in March, with officers finding five ounces of cocaine in a park before searching the Greenacre property.
He said police would alleged Mr Skaf “directed everybody” as leader of the drug syndicate.
“He (allegedly) directed the runners, which I like to call them …(and) the other two, the other male and female (allegedly) operated all throughout southwest Sydney,” he said.
Images from the search showed officers revealing the cocaine hidden beneath a witches hat next to a tree.
According to court documents, it’s alleged that Mr Skaf supplied over 1.1kg of cocaine at Greenacre on Wednesday evening, just minutes before his arrest.
“Officers allegedly located and seized approximately $220,000 cash, approximately 68g of cocaine, approximately 10g of MDMA, a vehicle, and several mobile phones,” police said in a statement.
Skaf has been charged with 24 offences including supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, and knowingly directing a criminal group.
Mr Skaf did not apply for bail when he appeared in Bankstown Local Court on Thursday, however his solicitor Mohamad Sakr flagged he would make a release application on another occasion.
Inspector Walsh said the amount of money found at the Greenacre home was “substantial”.
“The $200,000 cash we located in one of the houses in Greenacre is obviously quite substantial, and that money we’re going to be alleging as proceeds of crime,” he said.
Mr Warwar, 51, was arrested when police raided his Bankstown unit on Wednesday.
He was charged with four counts of supply prohibited drug less than and or equal small quantity, supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, and two counts of possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit.
Mr Warwar appeared in Bankstown Local Court on Thursday when he was denied bail.
The alleged drug ring was described in court on Thursday as a dial-a-dealer operation.
Mr Warwar’s solicitor Khaled Dib told the court on Thursday his client was described as being “down the line” and a “runner for the boss”.
The court was told that the alleged drug operation had been under physical and electronic police surveillance.
Mr Warwar appeared in Bankstown Local Court on Thursday when he was denied bail.
The alleged drug ring was described in court on Thursday as a dial-a-dealer operation.
Mr Warwar’s solicitor Khaled Dib told the court on Thursday his client was described as being “down the line” and a “runner for the boss”.
The court was told that the alleged drug operation had been under physical and electronic police surveillance.
Ms Egitmeglu was arrested at a Newington unit.
She was charged with three counts of supplying a prohibited and participating in a criminal group.
Ms Egitmenglu wore a red cardigan as she sat in the dock at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday.
The police prosecutor fought against her release during a bail application, arguing there was an unacceptable risk that she would fail to appear before the court when required and that she may commission serious offences should she be granted bail.
“Your Honour these are serious allegations before the court,” the prosecutor told the court.
“It is quite concerning…Her (alleged involvement is not light, it is quite serious.”
Ms Egitmenglu’s lawyer said her client would be vulnerable in custody and a series of bail conditions could mitigate the prosecution’s concerns.
Judge Emma Manea ultimately granted her bail under a set of strict conditions, including that she not contact Mr Skaf or Mr Harvard, not leave the country, and refrain from consuming drugs and alcohol.
Skaf was released from prison in 2021 after serving nearly 21 years behind bars.
He was convicted of gang raping at least six schoolgirls across Sydney’s southwest with his brother in 2000 when he was 17.
Skaf was one of nine men convicted over the gang rapes, which took place in public toilets and parks.
He and at least 14 others sexually assaulted one girl several times over a six-hour period at a toilet block before driving her around in a car and dumping her at a train station.
During the sentencing, Judge Michael Finnane said the rapes were “worse than murder” and described the events as something “you hear about or read about only in the context of wartime atrocities”.
Skaf never apologised or showed remorse for the attacks.
Skaf became eligible for parole in 2018, but his requests were repeatedly knocked back.
He was released from prison on parole in October 2021 after the State Parole Authority said his attitude had improved and recommended his release.
The SPA said it had “no authority” to keep Skaf in prison beyond his sentence, and his release must be supervised for 23 months.
“This is the only opportunity to supervise a safe transition into the community in the small window of time that we have left,” SPA chairman David Frearson said at the time.
“Release without structure or supervision makes little sense for community protection.”
His parole order expired in January 2024.