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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><h1>Sport of kings rocked by horse owner’s multimillion-dollar cocaine ring arrest<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/journalists/mark-morri">Mark Morri</a>, Nick Hansen and Campbell Gellie, The Daily Telegraph<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>May 24, 2019 5:04am<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Subscriber only<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=316 height=422 style='width:3.2916in;height:4.3958in' id="Picture_x0020_14" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D511FC.320FE170" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/805ab6a16da743faaaa3165a87411fc9?width=316"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Camilla Flower leaves Liverpool Local Court. Picture: Liam Driver<img border=0 width=316 height=422 style='width:3.2916in;height:4.3958in' id="Picture_x0020_13" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D511FC.320FE170" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/22ecc0f3f8ac674e109ce29aeec5e41b?width=316"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Damion Flower.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The application would, if successful, stop him from selling any interests in the horses, but would not necessarily prevent them being trained or raced.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said industry participants could be banned if they were deemed to have brought the sport into disrepute.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“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.’’<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1280 height=720 style='width:13.3333in;height:7.5in' id="Picture_x0020_10" src="cid:image013.jpg@01D511FC.34837980" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/6e2b1bf3317d45534305a35e5a793ddb?width=1024">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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1280 height=720 style='width:13.3333in;height:7.5in' id="Picture_x0020_9" src="cid:image014.jpg@01D511FC.34837980" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/261e3ab9c39edaa598d14f94f4a9a7b5?width=1024">Damien Flower and his wife Camilla, in 2005.<img border=0 width=1280 height=720 style='width:13.3333in;height:7.5in' id="Picture_x0020_8" src="cid:image015.jpg@01D511FC.34837980" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/d373d5e3da27b306300f3f482570a53c?width=1024">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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The syndicate is alleged to have used Qantas flights from South Africa — including QF64 on Wednesday — to import the drugs.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Flower has been charged over alleged importations of cocaine on May 22, April 15, March 15, February 12, January 29 and January 22.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1280 height=720 style='width:13.3333in;height:7.5in' id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image016.jpg@01D511FC.34837980" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/61dea003284f1f49b76e1a5e52465259?width=1024">About $8 million in cash was seized at Hoxton Park<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p>In the 2017 Everest race he entered a horse called Totally Innocent, which finished eighth.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1280 height=720 style='width:13.3333in;height:7.5in' id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image017.jpg@01D511FC.34837980" alt="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/8a60af21c4817e6020f98290e1f0c942?width=1024">Damion Flower, owner of Golden Slipper favourite Snitzel, in Martin Place. Picture: AAP<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>