By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
Man pleads guilty to arranging sale of Apex Gang’s stolen cars…
A NARRE Warren South man accused of being a conduit between Apex Gang juvenile car thieves and Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang may be placed on a two-year drug treatment order.
Ahmed Farhad Lodin, 30, pleaded guilty to more than 20 offences including a breach of a suspended sentence, ice trafficking, illegal firearm possession, car theft and burglary at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 22 March.
Police dropped 14 charges in exchange for the plea.
Lodin had been allegedly assisting the sale of high-end vehicles stolen by Apex and Young Crucified Warriors (YCW) street gangs to the Mongols last year.
He had admitted to arranging the exchange of stolen vehicles for cash and methamphetamine, the court was told in a bail hearing in December.
Among his charges were a car theft from a Langwarrin home on 21 July and stealing a $40,000 Audi from a Malvern East home on 19 October.
The Langwarrin victim identified Lodin as one of three male burglars who she found in her garage.
The terrified victim ran from the intruders and later found that two motorbikes, power tools and motorbike equipment to the value of nearly $5000 had been taken.
Lodin was also seen travelling in the stolen Audi in November, the court was told.
The car was later allegedly found during a police search warrant at his home, along with an Audi car key, Audi documents, a Winchester Hornet .22 firearm with 18 rounds, an imitation handgun, shotgun shells, orange-tip ammunition and disassembled pen pistols in Glad bags.
Police also allegedly seized items and substances used to make drugs, more than a dozen number plates, $1950 cash, mobile phones, drivers licences under different names, six bags of “white crystal substance” and a BMW tin and documents.
Lodin was arrested at his home on 11 November and taken to Dandenong Hospital due to wounds allegedly inflicted by Hells Angels OMCG members over a drug debt.
According to a police summary, Lodin was suffering stab and burn injuries to his legs and had a cut to the bridge of his nose.
He had also been badly beaten during a previous stint in prison, losing the sight in his left eye, the court was told.
Lodin was sitting on a 199-day suspended jail term and had “significant” prior convictions for dangerous driving, threats to kill, assault, affray, armed robbery and driving while suspended and disqualified.
The Apex Gang has been linked to a string of armed robberies, car-jackings, driving stolen vehicles at high speed late last year, as well as a culpable driving charge levelled at a 15-year-old boy.
This month, Apex rose to notoriety when it brawled with Islander23 gang members during Moomba celebrations in Melbourne’s CBD.
At the hearing on 22 March, Lodin was referred to Dandenong Drugs Court where he’ll be assessed for a drug treatment order in lieu of a jail term.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said he was satisfied that Lodin was “not out of range” of a maximum two-year jail term to qualify for the drug treatment order.
The order can include conditions such as a curfew, non-association with certain offenders, drug ban and intensive counselling and treatment.
He noted Lodin had already served 132 days in pre-sentence detention.
Mr Vandersteen said Lodin’s involvement with young offenders was “significant”.
“I have sentenced young people where Mr Lodin’s name has been given more than once.”
Lodin was remanded to face Dandenong Drugs’ Court on 19 May.
