Tony Mokbel walks free after final drug charge dropped

One of Australia's most infamous underworld figures, Tony Mokbel, has walked out of court a free man after prosecutors abandoned the last remaining drug charge against him.

The 60-year-old smiled as he left the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday, bringing to an end nearly two decades of imprisonment and legal battles that followed his notorious escape to Greece and arrest in Athens in 2007.

Speaking briefly to waiting media, Mokbel said freedom felt "beautiful".

"It feels really nice, and life goes on now," he said, adding that he was looking forward to travelling overseas.
"That would be great - to get on a nice plane. I used to always dream of getting on a plane when I was in jail."

When asked if Greece might be on the itinerary, Mokbel replied: "We'll see how things flow."

Mokbel declined to express regret over his criminal past, responding bluntly: "I don't regret anything," before heading to his lawyer's office, followed closely by reporters.

A legal saga shaped by the Lawyer X scandal

Mokbel's release follows years of appeals linked to the Lawyer X scandal, which revealed his former lawyer Nicola Gobbo had secretly acted as a police informer while representing him and other high-profile gangland figures.

Last year, the Victorian Court of Appeal ordered a retrial on one remaining charge - known as the Orbital case - which alleged Mokbel incited the importation of MDMA in 2005. Other convictions were either overturned or upheld across three separate cases known as Quills, Orbital and Magnum.

In November, Mokbel was sentenced to time already served - more than 13 years - for the surviving Magnum conviction, clearing the way for his release on strict bail in April.

That final obstacle was removed on Friday when prosecutors formally discontinued the Orbital retrial.

"On behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, I filed a discontinuance in relation to the one remaining charge," prosecutor David Glynn told the court.

Judicial registrar Timothy Freeman then discharged Mokbel's bail and told him: "You are welcome to leave the dock."

Why prosecutors walked away

A spokeswoman for the Director of Public Prosecutions Victoria said the decision followed careful consideration of the prospects of conviction and the public interest.

Key factors included the age of the alleged offending, the lack of any actual drug importation, the likelihood of further delays, and Mokbel's age, health and time already spent behind bars.

The Orbital allegations centred on claims Mokbel attempted to source 100 kilograms of MDMA in 2005 - well above the commercial threshold - but the people he was communicating with were undercover officers from the Australian Federal Police.

'An end to a terrible chapter'

Lawyer Ruth Parker, who has represented former clients of Nicola Gobbo, described the abandonment of the case as "sensible" and "responsible".

"When you open a court door to start a proceeding it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars," she said. "It's not in the public interest."

Ms Parker said the case marked the end of a "terrible chapter" for Victoria's justice system, criticising the conduct of those involved in the Lawyer X affair and calling for accountability.

Mokbel declined to comment on whether he would seek compensation from the Victorian government for his years in custody.