COCAINE RING ALLEGED TO INVOLVE TOP LAWYER

A woman played an integral role in helping her husband smuggle African
artefacts containing drugs into Australia in an operation that also led to
charges against a leading criminal lawyer, a court heard yesterday.

Andrea Mohr, 37, of Elwood, appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court
charged with being knowingly involved in the importing of a commercial
quantity of cocaine.

One of Australia's top criminal lawyers, Andrew Fraser, will face the same
charge in July.

Berdj Tchakerian, prosecuting, said Mohr stayed in Australia and was in
constant phone contact with her husband when he allegedly went to Benin,
returning last September with 5.5 kilos of cocaine concealed in eight
African plaques.

The importation was carried out with the full knowledge and complicity of
Mohr, and two other co-accused, the court heard.

Mohr played an integral role in organising the imports and knew of all the
steps involved, he said.

She provided the link between her husband and the cocaine suppliers in
Benin. She made telephone calls to Werner Roberts and other contacts in
Benin about "presents", a reference to cocaine. Australian Federal Police
arrested Roberts on September 11 after he arrived back at his Elwood home
and Mohr. The plaques were found in their car boot.

Magistrate Rodney Crisp remanded Mohr in custody to reappear in court on May
26.