Australian businessman, Sam Amine who has been highlighted in the $2 billion methamphetamine bust trial, was earlier cleared of Fiji drugs charges and returned to Australia in July 2022 after charges that he possessed an illicit substance, anabolic steroids, on a trip to Fiji, were dropped.
In September 2024, court documents reported by news.com.au said that Australian Police alleged Sydney-based Fiji gym owner Sam Amine, directed NRL star Brandon Wakeham and content creator Nabil Allouche in the ongoing supply of illicit drugs.
It said Amine, the alleged leader of a criminal network linked to NRL star Brandon Wakeham was overheard boasting about his ties to the Alameddine and KVT crime syndicates.
All three men were arrested in May 2024 after a months-long investigation by the state’s specialist drug and firearm investigation squad.
Amine and Allouche had appeared before the NSW Supreme Court to apply for bail after spending months behind bars on remand. Australian Police alleged that Amine used an encrypted application to arrange for the supply of MDMA, cocaine, and a gun to an undercover police officer on six occasions between February and April 2024.
According to Australian police, Amine would finalise the negotiations on a dedicated encrypted phone before arranging for Wakeham or Allouche to deliver the illicit goods.
After Amine was arrested, the officer in charge of the investigation said he was overheard telling another inmate that he was linked to the Alameddine crime network.
The officer said Amine also spoke about his connection to the alleged leader of the KVT crime gang, Joseph Vokai (known as ‘Joe Fresh’) during intercepted phone calls.
The court was told the pair had spoken on the phone multiple times and Vokai socialised with Amine at Allouche’s birthday party, which Wakeham also attended.
Vokai was not charged with any wrongdoing.
However, Amine’s barrister Greg James SC argued there was “no evidence whatsoever” in the surveillance to suggest Amine was linked to either crime network.
He said his client had denied any involvement with drug supply and claimed the encrypted phone was left in his car by an unknown person during a lengthy interview with police.
The officer in charge told the court that surveillance footage showed Amine using the phone at the time when supply messages were being exchanged with the undercover cop.
