POLICE LINK LAWYER TO DRUGS RING

Melbourne Solicitor Alex Lewenberg Was The Legal Adviser To A Major Heroin
Trafficking Business, A Jury Has Heard.

The County Court was told police bugged Mr Lewenberg's city office during a
joint federal-state taskforce investigation of the heroin ring.

Prosecutor Brind Woinarski, opening the Crown case against three men charged
with heroin trafficking, said they were selling large quantities and
generating vast amounts of money.

Mr Woinarski said the "CEO" of the business, Boris Beljajev, was not only
dealing in heroin but scamming the people who bought it from him.

He said Mr Beljajev bought high-purity block heroin, then diluted it with
sugar or glucose and re-pressed it so it could pass as uncut when sold.

Mr Woinarski told the jury that police installed two listening devices in Mr
Lewenberg's office.

Monitored conversations between Mr Lewenberg and Mr Beljajev included a
discussion about how damaging it would be for Mr Beljajev if one of his
major distributors, who had been arrested, "turned turtle" and gave evidence
against him.

"Like all big businesses, you need a solicitor," Mr Woinarski said.

"This business had a solicitor it had Mr Lewenberg".

He said the prosecution had evidence that Mr Lewenberg played a role in the
transfer of funds overseas for Mr Beljajev.

In one transaction, $235,000 was allegedly transferred from Melbourne to
Zurich and then to Hong Kong to pay for heroin.

Mr Beljajev, 48; Leslaw Kunz, 57, and Larry Lambert, 40, have all pleaded
not guilty to trafficking in a commercial quantity of heroin between July
1988 and February 1989.

Their trial opened last Monday and can now be reported after an order
prohibiting publication was lifted yesterday.

Mr Woinarski told the jury Mr Beljajev "ran the show", organising the
importing, cutting up and distribution of heroin, and controlling the money.

He said Mr Kunz was Mr Beljajev's trusted assistant and Mr Lambert was a
major distributor.

The jury was told yesterday that one of the Crown witnesses would be Jack
Hills, one of Mr Beljajev's lieutenants, who had been granted indemnity
against prosecution.

"He's a bad man ... who has determined he can now be of some good," Mr
Woinarski said.

The trial, which is expected to take several months, was due to continue
before Judge Michael Higgins today.