A man trying to be released from prison to be near his dying father has allegedly been caught trafficking $25,000 worth of drugs for Mongols bikies from inside his cell, a court has been told.
Sam Chamoun appeared via video link from prison for a bail application at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.
He has been in prison for more than 300 days after being charged with 15 firearm and driving offences after he allegedly stole a boat and a car, and tried to escape arrest, the court was told.
Police allege that when they tried to arrest Chamoun for theft and burglary, last February, he drove around a police car and then collided with it along with several other cars parked in the street.
He was allegedly in possession of two guns and ammunition when arrested.
Chamoun's lawyer Thea Milides on Thursday told the court he wanted to be released on bail to spend time with his father, who has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and placed into palliative care.
"The treatments have been exhausted and the primary concern for Mr Chamoun, my client, is that he be able to be with his father in his, sadly, final months," she said.
But the prosecution opposed his release as he posed an unacceptable risk to the community due to the seriousness of his charges and his risk of reoffending, after prison staff found he was allegedly trafficking drugs to other prisoners.
Victoria Police Senior Constable Timothy Paltridge told the court prison staff had searched Chamoun's cell on Tuesday and allegedly found more than 50 strips of buprenorphine, an opioid, inside a deodorant bottle, and white powder in a jacket.
"It is believed that the accused has been trafficking for a Mongols OMCG cohort whilst in prison to other persons whilst in custody," he said.
"We are uncomfortable with the accused being out and we believe that he will continue to commit offences."
Sen Const Paltridge alleged the drugs would be worth about $25,000 if sold on the street or within prison.
Police are yet to charge Chamoun, but Sen Const Partridge said an investigator was being assigned for charges to be prepared.
Ms Milides said the drug-trafficking investigation was in its infancy and had not yet been proven, as she asked the magistrate to release her client on bail to a facility that was akin to residential rehab.
She also denied her client was a bikie, as described by prosecutors.
But Magistrate Nahrain Warda refused bail after finding Chamoun's reoffending risk was high and that he would have known about his father's illness prior to last year's offending.
"The risk to community of committing further offences and endangering the safety and welfare of other members in the community is a real risk in my view in this case," she said.
