Notorious gangland figure walks free – and reveals next plans
Underworld figure Tony Mokbel will no longer face a re-trial on his remaining drug trafficking charges – and has revelaed his plans as a free man.
Feb 06, 2026, updated Feb 06, 2026
Freedom feels “beautiful” for one of Australia’s most notorious crime figures after his only remaining drug charge was withdrawn by prosecutors.
Tony Mokbel, 60, spent almost two decades in custody after his famous escape to Greece on a yacht before he was arrested at an Athens cafe in 2007.
A smiling Mokbel walked out of Melbourne’s Supreme Court on Friday as a free man after a lengthy battle to overturn his drug convictions in the aftermath of the Lawyer X scandal.
Asked how he felt by awaiting media, Mokbel replied: “Beautiful. It feels really nice, and life goes on now.”
He said he was most looking forward to “going overseas, of course”.
You might like
“That would be great, to get on a nice plane. I used to always dream of getting on a plane when I was in jail,” Mokbel said.
“That’s probably the biggest mistake of my life … being in jail. I don’t recommend it for no one.”
He was asked if he planned to visit Greece and said “we’ll see how things flow”.
Mokbel was also questioned about whether he regretted drug trafficking.
“I don’t regret anything,” he replied, before he was followed by a media pack over the road to his lawyer’s office.
Appeal judges last year ordered he face a retrial over the remaining charge, which related to alleged incitement to import MDMA in 2005.
He had argued his drug convictions were tainted as he was represented by barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo, known as Lawyer X.
Stay informed, daily
The Court of Appeal delivered a split decision in October 2025 on drug trafficking and importation convictions in three of his separate cases – known as Orbital, Magnum and Quills.
Mokbel was acquitted over Quills, ordered to face a retrial on Orbital but lost his appeal on the Magnum brief, the latter relating to his trafficking of 41kg methamphetamine between 2006 and 2007.
The appeal court in November sentenced him to time served – 13 years, seven months and 15 days – for the Magnum offending.
Prosecutor David Glynn announced the final Orbital charge had been discontinued in brief hearing on Friday morning.
“On behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, I filed a discontinuance in relation to the one remaining charge on the indictment against Antonios Sajih Mokbel,” he told the court.
Judicial Registrar Timothy Freeman discharged Mokbel’s bail undertaking and told him “you are welcome to leave the dock”.
A DPP spokeswoman said the director reached his decision after “careful consideration of all aspects of the matter relevant to the prospects of conviction and the public interest in a retrial”.
This included “the fact that there was no actual importation”, likely ongoing delays to any retrial and the age of the alleged offending.
She said the director also took into account the likely sentence that would be imposed on Mokbel, given his age, health and the lengthy term of imprisonment already served.
Mokbel declined to comment on whether he will be seeking compensation from the state of Victoria for his time in prison.
-with AAP
News
