[AusRace] Sport of kings rocked by horse owner's multimillion-dollar cocaine ring arrest

[L.B.Loveday]

Sport of kings rocked by horse owner's multimillion-dollar cocaine ring
arrest


Mark Morri <https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/journalists/mark-morri> , Nick
Hansen and Campbell Gellie, The Daily Telegraph

May 24, 2019 5:04am

Subscriber only

*  

Some of the state's top horses could be held under court order by the NSW
Crime Commission as it investigates a leading racing identity's alleged
links to a multimillion-dollar cocaine ring.

Former baggage handler Damion Flower is alleged to have teamed up with an
ex-colleague and another man as part of a plot to smuggle the drugs through
Sydney Airport.

The 47-year-old, a part-owner of renowned racehorse Snitzel, To Oto O Junior
Mafiti, 50, and Ashoor Youkhana, 42, have been charged over their alleged
roles in an international cocaine syndicate, which is claimed to have
imported drugs worth tens of millions of dollars.



Camilla Flower leaves Liverpool Local Court. Picture: Liam Driver

Damion Flower.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the powerful NSW Crime Commission is set to
lodge an application in the NSW Supreme Court to freeze all of Flower's
assets, including his racehorses.

The application would, if successful, stop him from selling any interests in
the horses, but would not necessarily prevent them being trained or raced.

The ex-Waverley College student paid $2.4 million for barrier slots in four
consecutive instalments of the prestigious annual The Everest, the world's
richest race on turf.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said industry participants could
be banned if they were deemed to have brought the sport into disrepute.

"At Racing NSW, we have always had a no-fault stand-down rule similar to the
NRL, where we reject nominations from anyone who we think is not acting in
the best interests of racing,'' Mr V'landys said.

"Racing NSW also has options in regards to The Everest slot, but we need to
consider all the information first so we can make informed decisions on this
matter.''

To Oto O Junior Mafiti, 50, from Oran Park, was allegedly using his airside
access to import cocaine through the baggage holds of commercial flights.

It is understood that when he was arrested, Flower owed $2.4 million for
four yearlings he bought last month at the Inglis Easter sales.

Flower was arrested at his Moorebank home at 5pm on Wednesday, taken to
Liverpool police station and charged with six counts of importing a
commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

At the same time, Qantas baggage handler Mafiti was arrested at the airport,
allegedly with 28kg of cocaine in a bag. He was charged with five counts of
importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

Neither of the men applied for bail in brief court appearances on Thursday,
where Flower's wife Camilla sobbed before her husband was brought up from
the cells at Liverpool Local Court.

Damien Flower and his wife Camilla, in 2005.Racehorse Snitzel ridden by
jockey Glen Boss is led back to the scale by owner Damion Flower (left)
after winning Strawberry Hill Stud Slipper at Wyong.

It is alleged Mafiti, from Oran Park, was using his privileged access to
import cocaine through the baggage holds of commercial flights. Flower, who
is intending to plead not guilty, was allegedly seen by police with Mafiti
when the drugs were dropped off after being removed from the planes.

The syndicate is alleged to have used Qantas flights from South Africa -
including QF64 on Wednesday - to import the drugs.

Flower has been charged over alleged importations of cocaine on May 22,
April 15, March 15, February 12, January 29 and January 22.

Their arrests come more than a month after Youkhana, from Middleton Grange,
was arrested in a car near Sydney Airport, allegedly in possession of a
duffel bag containing 27kg of cocaine in vacuum-sealed packages wrapped in
black and silver paper. He has been charged, in relation to the syndicate,
with one count of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

About $8 million in cash was seized at Hoxton Park

A major police operation swooped on homes and storage units in Hoxton Park,
Oran Park, Moorebank and Revesby yesterday, with police allegedly seizing
more than 50kg of cocaine and $8 million cash.

Flower's arrest has rocked Australia's thoroughbred racing community. He is
a high-profile identity in the sport who has shares in more than 50 horses
trained by Brad Widdup at Platinum Park at Hawkesbury.

Flower first came to prominence as the owner of the outstanding sprinter
Snitzel, winner of seven races including the Group 1 OakIeigh Plate in 2005,
earning more than $1 million prize money.

In the 2017 Everest race he entered a horse called Totally Innocent, which
finished eighth.

Damion Flower, owner of Golden Slipper favourite Snitzel, in Martin Place.
Picture: AAP

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