Shoe led to downfall of Iranian drug dealing couple

A single running shoe was behind the downfall of an Iranian refugee couple who were allegedly caught running a sophisticated crystal meth trafficking ring on the streets of Sydney.

The Nike sneaker was discovered in a Coles carpark in Asquith, Sydney’s Upper North Shore, alongside a plastic bag containing a knitted skull cap and a bag filled with methamphetamine, The Daily Telegraph reported. 

The DNA of alleged drug ring leader Ali Maleki was found on the shoe and inside the bag, according to a fact sheet tendered to the court.

The pair have built a luxury life in Sydney’s north-west with their two daughters, aged one and three

Police allege the discarded items were lost by Maleki during a drug deal gone bad in August last year.

In CCTV and dashcam footage obtained by investigating officers, Maleki was allegedly seen being ambushed by three men in the carpark.

The police will allege a fight broke out between the men in the Coles carpark and Maleki was put in a headlock.

During the scuffle, about 1kg of methamphetamine fell out of an Aldi bag he was using to carry the drug, the police will allege.

Maleki was allegedly seen wearing just one sneaker, matching that of the one found in the carpark, outside his apartment block later that night.

Maleki and his wife Yosra Rabieh were granted temporary protection visas after arriving to Australia by boat in 2013.

Iranian refugee couple Ali Maleki and Yosra Rabieh appeared to be living the Australian dream before they were allegedly caught running a sophisticated drug trafficking ring

Iranian refugee couple Ali Maleki and Yosra Rabieh appeared to be living the Australian dream before they were allegedly caught running a sophisticated drug trafficking ring

The Nike sneaker was discovered in a Coles carpark in Asquith, Sydney's Upper North Shore, (pictured) alongside a plastic bag containing a knitted skull cap and a bag filled with methamphetamine

The Nike sneaker was discovered in a Coles carpark in Asquith, Sydney’s Upper North Shore, (pictured) alongside a plastic bag containing a knitted skull cap and a bag filled with methamphetamine

The pair have since built a luxury life in Sydney’s north-west with their two daughters aged one and three.

They were arrested last week after police allegedly seized more than 36kg of ice, over $260,000 in cash, three luxury cars and more than 100 ampules of steroids after raiding homes in Hornsby and Asquith.

Police officers were allegedly tipped off to Maleki and his wife after a small-time dealer was arrested in Waterloo last March.  

The glamorous pair were arrested last week after police allegedly seized more than 36kg of ice

The glamorous pair were arrested last week after police allegedly seized more than 36kg of ice

Maleki and Rabieh's social media accounts reveal the pair married in a lavish 2014 ceremony

Maleki and Rabieh’s social media accounts reveal the pair married in a lavish 2014 ceremony

Social media accounts reveal the young family enjoyed hiking trips to the Blue Mountains, lavish dinners at Darling Harbour, while they were also seen sipping on bottled beer in front of the Sydney Opera House. 

Other posts, which are mostly written in Arabic, reveal the couple married in a lavish 2014 ceremony and spent several weekends with their children at beaches along the New South Wales coast.

Maleki shared numerous inspiration quotes and poems, and also posted translations of Australian slang, including ‘dunny’, ‘ankle biter’ and ‘dole bludger’.

His wife’s Facebook account heavily features her husband and their children, while it also includes a post promoting ‘Freedom in Iran.’

The pair are among several Iranians on temporary protection visas recently arrested over alleged meth trafficking.

The couple were seen sipping on bottled beer with a friend at Sydney's Opera Bar prior to their arrest

The couple were seen sipping on bottled beer with a friend at Sydney’s Opera Bar prior to their arrest

Maleki (pictured) shared numerous inspiration quotes and poems, and also posted translations of Australian slang

Maleki (pictured) shared numerous inspiration quotes and poems, and also posted translations of Australian slang

Maleki and Rabieh have each been charged with supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and participate in a criminal enterprise.

A third Iranian, identified by The Daily Telegraph as the couple’s housemate Hassan Mohkamkar, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact of supplying drugs. 

The trio were refused bail and will appear at Central Local Court later this week.

In a separate and unrelated bust, two Iranian nationals were arrested in Sydney last week, allegedly trying to import almost 10 kilograms of ice hidden in honey jars on a cargo flight to Australia. 

Maleki is pictured left in front of the Harbour Bridge and right outside the Sydney Opera House

Ali Maleki and Yosra Rabieh, from Sydney's north-west, are two of several Iranians in Australia on temporary protection visas recently arrested over alleged meth trafficking

Ali Maleki and Yosra Rabieh, from Sydney’s north-west, are two of several Iranians in Australia on temporary protection visas recently arrested over alleged meth trafficking

The arrested husband and wife previously enjoyed hiking trips to Sydney's Blue Mountains

The arrested husband and wife previously enjoyed hiking trips to Sydney’s Blue Mountains

Other posts reveal the couple spent several weekends with their children at beaches along the New South Wales coast

Other posts reveal the couple spent several weekends with their children at beaches along the New South Wales coast

Two men, aged 28 and 31, were arrested by Australian Federal Police officers on Wednesday following an operation that was sparked by a drug seizure in Turkey last October.

The AFP said 1.8kg of methamphetamine, bound for an address in Granville, was seized by authorities in Turkey in 2017, prompting the Australian operation.

The men, who have been charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, appeared before Sydney Central Local Court on Thursday, where they did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. 

The couple, who share two young daughters, were arrested last week after police raided homes in Hornsby and Asquith 

The couple, who share two young daughters, were arrested last week after police raided homes in Hornsby and Asquith 

Police allegedly seized more than 36kg of ice, over $260,000 in cash and three luxury cars

Police allegedly seized more than 36kg of ice, over $260,000 in cash and three luxury cars

A third Iranian has been charged with being an accessory after the fact of supplying drugs

A third Iranian has been charged with being an accessory after the fact of supplying drugs

In a separate bust last week, two Iranian nationals were arrested in Sydney, allegedly trying to import almost 10 kilograms of ice hidden in honey jars on a cargo flight to Australia

In a separate bust last week, two Iranian nationals were arrested in Sydney, allegedly trying to import almost 10 kilograms of ice hidden in honey jars on a cargo flight to Australia



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