The Australian newspaper, “The Age” revealed that the Greek, Tom Karas is suspected of financing Tony Mokbel, a notorious drug baron.
The article claims that Tom Karas, who owes the Tax Office 47 million dollars, is accused of having smuggled 390,000 dollars in cash on a flight to Europe just months before Mokbel arrived in Greece in 2006. Australian authorities believe that Karas is responsible for laundering most of the money for Mokbel’s drug operation, known as The Company.
Mokbel, who is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence, was Australia’s most wanted fugitive after fleeing to Europe in March 2006, while facing serious drug charges. The authorities were trying for years to find his associates who helped him escape and were funneling cash to him.
Suspicions about Karas’ trip were raised while authorities were investigating his business deals with Horty Mokbel, the head of the drug gang in Tony’s absence. Horty Mokbel was sentenced to six years imprisonment for drug offenses in 2010.
According to the article, George Khouri, an Australian Taxation Office official, testified in 2011: “Tom Karas is a primary person of interest to the joint special project conducted between the serious non-compliance section of the ATO and Victoria Police’s Purana task force investigating those who may be involved in or benefiting from Melbourne’s organized crime scene.”
As reported, apart from Karas, Christos Karaglanis, a truck driver and seasonal olive picker from Greece, is also involved in the case.
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