The sweet smell of freedom! Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel shops for perfume in Myer during his first day of life on the outside in 18 years

Melbourne crime boss Tony Mokbel has spent his first day of freedom shopping for perfumes in Myer after spending 18 years behind bars.

The gangster was spotted in the perfume section of the department store at Northland Shopping Centre in a northern suburb of Melbourne on Saturday. 

He left the shops with multiple bags in hand including one from Coles and one from nutritional store, Elite Supplements. 

Earlier that morning, Mokbel emerged from his new home and checked in at his local police station while being followed by a media scrum.

Asked how he was feeling, he said he could not comment, The Age reported. 

‘[Court] proceedings are afoot. I can’t say anything,’ Mokbel reportedly said. 

He was then seen at Viewbank Park with a dark-haired woman rumoured to be his girlfriend, as well as his sister Gawy Saad and her husband Youssef.

On Friday, the 59-year old walked down the steps of the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal with a beaming smile after spending almost two decades behind bars.

Melbourne crime boss Tony Mokbel and a dark-haired woman rumoured to be his girlfriend (pictured) were caught shopping in the perfume section at Myer in a northern suburb of Melbourne 24 hours after his release from prison on Friday

During the first 24 hours of freedom, Mokbel (pictured) has been spotted at a Northland Shopping Centre, just north of Melbourne

Mokbel (pictured) could not contain his joy as he walked down the steps of the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday after 18 years behind bars

Daily Mail Australia revealed on Friday that Mokbel’s first act after being released from jail was to visit the grave of his mother.

Lora Mokbel, 83, was farewelled at a service at Our Lady Of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church in Thornbury in 2013, where mourners mixed with some of Melbourne’s criminal elite. 

Mokbel had been unable to attend the funeral, nor had his brother Milad, who was also serving time for drug offences.

But, on Friday, Mokbel made his way straight to Fawkner Memorial Park with an entourage of supporters where he finally got to pay his respect to his mother. 

The gangster notoriously bought a yacht named ‘Edwena’ in 2006 and hired a Greek crew to spirit him away from Australia while on bail when he fled justice.

He was released on Friday after the Court of Appeal agreed he had been set up by disgraced former lawyer and police informer Nicola Gobbo.

The 59-year old said nothing as he walked through a police cordon shielding him from a horde of journalists and other onlookers.

The decision to release Mokbel saw gasps from his supporters, who crammed into the courthouse.

Mokbel had been treated like a celebrity from within the prison dock, shaking hands and chatting with his supporters

The court heard the gangster had ‘strong family support’ and a mystery long-term de facto partner who he was pictured with just hours after his release

Daily Mail Australia revealed that Mokbel’s first act after being released from jail was to visit the grave of his mother (he is pictured leaving Fawkner Cemetery where his mother is buried)

While free on bail, Mokbel will be required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet that will monitor his every movement.

The court heard the gangster had ‘strong family support’ and a long-term de facto partner. 

He will need to report to his local police station every day and adhere to a strict curfew between 11pm and 6am.

After his release, Mokbel was spirited away in a matte black Mercedes where he was taken to his new home with his sister and her family in the north of Melbourne. 

But neighbours hid in fear with one resident, Donna telling Daily Mail Australia on Friday that she thinks it is ‘very bad’ for the community.

‘Firstly, I worry that he has enemies, which has been shown in jail that he does have enemies because he nearly died and that these enemies or other crime figures are gonna come and they, you know, kill him,’ she said. 

In setting Mokbel free on bail, Justices Karin Emerton, Robert Osborn and Jane Dixon agreed he stood a solid chance of winning his appeal against three convictions for drug trafficking, which is expected to be heard later this year.

If he wins, it will likely result in his complete release.

His current sentence expires in 2037, but he is eligible for parole in June 2031.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk