A five-year prosecution of Sam Karagiozis has been dropped after prosecution failed to provide evidence substantiating allegations he was the boss of a drug trafficking syndicate.
According to The Age, Karagiozis walked free from the County Court today, September 9 after charges from 2019 related to allegations of trafficking cocaine and ice were discontinued.
The 33-year-old founded Melbourne’s Souvlaki GR chain and Australian cryptocurrency company Auscoin.
He was accused by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) of being the boss of a syndicate responsible for importing 30 kilograms of drugs in more than 100 mail packets in 2016 and 2017 that were allegedly organised through the dark web.
Karagiozis spent six months on remand but has been on bail since 2019.
“Nearly six years for nothing. I feel a great amount of injustice; however, relieved that it is finally over and can be put to bed,” Karagiozis said after the verdict was announced.
He added that he was considering seeking the costs of his defence from authorities and the return of the assets that had been frozen.
The AFP and Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions have been contacted for comment.
