Mohammed Skaf, a convicted gang rapist, has been arrested and charged with two dozen drug offences in Sydney. Police allege he was the ringleader of a large-scale drug supply operation.
Arrest and Charges
The 42-year-old was taken into custody before midnight on Wednesday at a home in Greenacre, in Sydney’s south-west, following an investigation into alleged large-scale drug supply. Police claim they found cocaine and $25,000 in cash during a search of Skaf and a nearby park. A subsequent search of the Greenacre home allegedly uncovered an additional $220,000 in cash, several mobile phones, more cocaine, and a small quantity of MDMA.
Detective Chief Inspector Jeffrey Walsh stated, “We’re going to allege he’s the principal of the whole investigation. He directed everybody – he directed the runners.” Skaf faces 24 charges, including supplying a commercial quantity of drugs and knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group.
Co-Accused
Police also arrested a 51-year-old man at a unit in Bankstown, where officers allegedly found a ballistic vest, a baton, and steroids. A 54-year-old woman was arrested simultaneously at a unit in Newington, where police allegedly discovered the illicit drugs ketamine and MDMA. The connection between these individuals and Skaf remains unclear, according to Walsh. Both were charged with offences including supplying prohibited drugs and participating in a criminal group.
All three were refused bail. The men were scheduled to face Bankstown Local Court on Thursday.
Background
Skaf was released from prison in 2021 after serving 21 years for his role in a series of pack rapes on schoolgirls in 2000. As a 17-year-old, he was part of a group of over a dozen teenagers and young men responsible for six gang rapes. His brother Bilal was the ringleader in the crimes, which involved victims being lured with the promise of smoking marijuana before being repeatedly sexually assaulted. Skaf was refused parole several times before his release, with a parole hearing shortly before his release noting that he continued to blame his victims.
