Habkouk has pleaded not guilty to attempting to import a commercial quantity of heroin, and remains before the courts.

He remained inside Silverwater Prison until February this year, when his in-laws stumped up a $1 million surety on their Mount Colah home to ensure his release. Other conditions of his bail included daily reporting to a police station, only leaving the home in the company of his wife, surrendering his passport, not using encrypted communications and not communicating with a number of different witnesses, including his brother Guy.

Guy Habkouk is “at the centre of arrangements with respect to that importation,” Justice Dhanji, SC, said.

Guy Habkouk is overseas, and police have yet to be able to interview him over his alleged role in the heroin ring.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Morgen Blunden said this was the largest seizure of heroin in Australia in almost two decades and if these drugs had not been intercepted, the impact on the community would have been devastating.

“Illicit drug use causes a significant burden to the Australian economy, through crime, loss of productivity, emergency treatment and increased health care costs,” Blunden said.

“Sadly heroin causes many deaths and this seizure has protected our community from harm. We will continue to work closely with our partners to prevent this harm from occurring.

“This is why our partnerships with state and Commonwealth agencies are so important to staying on the front foot when it comes to targeting transnational criminal syndicates and preventing illicit drugs from harming more Australians.”

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