DRUG ACCUSED DENIED BAIL

A man alleged to be the head of one of WA's most established drug
syndicates appeared in Perth Magistrate's Court yesterday accused of
conspiring to possess $100,000 worth of heroin.

Magistrate Robert Burton refused to release Paolo "Paul" Musarri, 52, on
bail after hearing evidence that he had threatened to interfere with a
prosecution witness.

Mr Musarri was among eight men arrested on Wednesday after a police
operation, codenamed Mender, sparked raids on nine properties in Perth,
Bunbury and Melbourne.

During a sometimes heated bail application, Det-Sgt Paul Zanetti, who led a
six-month covert surveillance operation which centred on Mr Musarri's
activities, told the court that a police phone tap revealed Mr Musarri had
made an implied threat to a witness.

Sgt Zanetti said the threat was made during a conversation with Dimi Pande
Delovski, of Melbourne.

Mr Musarri, of Westminster, also had access to false passports and there
was a significant risk he would flee the country if released on bail, the
officer said.

Defence lawyer Judy Seif submitted that the case against Mr Mussari was
weak and purely circumstantial.

Mr Musarri was not required to plead to a charge of conspiring to possess
525.7g of heroin with intent to sell or supply and two counts of supplying
amphetamines. He was remanded in custody to appear again on October 19. It
will be alleged he supplied senior Gypsy Jokers bikie gang member Leonard
Mark Kirby and another man with amphetamines this year. He was charged with
the heroin offence after two Melbourne men were found with more than 500g
of heroin in a Highgate hotel room in May.

Mr Musarri previously was named in court as being behind the heroin deal
which resulted in the 1986 execution of Kevin Barlow and Brian Geoffrey
Chambers in Malaysia.

Also in the dock were Justin Paul Vodanovich, 24, and Clive Richard Burke,
49, both of Bayswater. Mr Vodanovich was not required to plead to a charge
of conspiring to possess heroin with intent to sell or supply and one count
of supplying amphetamines.

Mr Burke was not required to plead to a charge of supplying amphetamines.

Both had bail applications refused and were remanded in custody to appear
again later this month.

Two other men, Steven Shane Colman, 50, of Balga, and Michael Ivanoff, 37,
of Dianella, appeared in court to face charges from the police raids.