Tony Mokbel walks free after sentence cut
Australian gangland figure Tony Mokbel has once again left court a free man after his lengthy prison term was significantly reduced on appeal. The resentencing follows years of legal proceedings stemming from his 2012 conviction for masterminding a large-scale drug trafficking operation.
Background and Original Sentence
In 2012, Mokbel pleaded guilty to leading a complex drug syndicate across multiple criminal cases. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with a minimum of 22 years before parole eligibility. Twenty years of that term related to one of those cases.
Resentencing Details
On Thursday, the court recalculated the primary sentence to 13 years, seven months, and 15 days — an amount deemed already served before his appeal was heard. This adjustment effectively freed Mokbel immediately.
“He is taken to have served that entire sentence,” said Justice Stephen McLeish.
The resentencing took into account several factors, including the 2023 quashing of a separate conviction known as “Plutonium,” Mokbel’s head injury suffered in prison, and his classification as a first-time drug offender.
Court Proceedings and Reactions
During the hearing, Mokbel stood and bowed before the justices, then turned to kiss his girlfriend. Smiling, he quietly exited the court and crossed Lonsdale Street to his legal team’s chambers without commenting.
On October 3, the Court of Appeal — Justices Stephen McLeish, Maree Kennedy, and Stephen Kaye — had earlier overturned one of Mokbel’s three major convictions (Quills), ordered a retrial in a second case (Orbital), and upheld the third (Magnum).
Author’s Summary
Tony Mokbel’s 30-year sentence for drug crimes has been reduced to time served, marking his release after over a decade behind bars and multiple overturned convictions.