Inside one of Australia's most secure prisons, George Marrogi would make up to 20 calls a day to his law firm — or so the guards inside thought.
Initially the calls went unmonitored because they were legally privileged. However it later emerged the calls were being diverted from the law firm to Marrogi's girlfriend, enabling the pair to plan a series of high-level drug imports.
On Tuesday, the County Court of Victoria heard Marrogi's girlfriend Antonietta Mannella would answer his phone calls while impersonating the firm's receptionist.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) alleged the pair were "key enablers" for the importation of 56 kilograms of methamphetamine and 13 kilograms of heroin — a quantity with a street value of $55 million.
Key points:
- George Marrogi and girlfriend Antonietta Mannella pleaded guilty to high-level drug trafficking and importation
- The court heard the pair spoke in code when arranging the importation of $55 million worth of meth and heroin
- Judge Peter Rozen will sentence the pair next month
Police tapped calls, identified code words
In April 2022, investigators found the drugs inside consignments of green tea and magnets that had been flown to Melbourne from Bangkok.
In the lead up, police tapped phone calls between Marrogi and Mannella, as he delivered instructions in code and she carried out orders.
AFP prosecutor Sarah Holmes said the pair used codewords including "Shula" (drug money), "Zuze" (money), and "Talga" (methamphetamines) during their conversations.
"How are the fish going? Did they move to the aquarium or not?" Marrogi was recorded asking, in relation to the April drug importation.
In another instance, authorities captured a phone conversation between Mannella and crime figure Tony Mokbel, who was in the same prison as Marrogi and asked to pass a message to him.
"Tell him no good," Mannella was recorded telling Mokbel.
Prosecutors alleged Mannella tried to conceal her involvement in the scheme by using several mobile phones, encrypted messaging services, Virtual Private Networks and writing notes for criminal associates in email drafts, which they would later read.
Mannela, 29, was arrested at her Mickleham home in Melbourne's north, as part of coordinated raids by the AFP which netted several other co-accused.
Pair plead guilty to high-level drug trafficking
While appearing in court via video link on Tuesday, the pair pleaded guilty to high-level drug trafficking and importation charges — offences guaranteed to carry lengthy jail terms.
Marrogi and Mannella also admitted to trying to organise 800 litres of drug chemicals to be transported from South Australia to Victoria in January 2022. The scheme failed when part of the delivery was intercepted in Horsham.
The court heard Marrogi, now 33, committed the offences shortly after being handed a 32-year jail term for murder. His defence lawyer Peter Morrissey said Marrogi had also previously been jailed for manslaughter, and spent 15 of the last 16 years behind bars.