Pubdate: Mon, 23 Jun 2003
Source: Herald Sun (Australia)
Copyright: 2003 News Limited
Contact:  http://www.heraldsun.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/187
Author: Paul Anderson, Mark Buttler

MORAN'S MILLIONS

EXECUTED gangster Jason Moran amassed a fortune of at least $5 million from 
his criminal network of drug deals and standover rackets. The dirty money 
is believed to have been held in cash stashes, laundered overseas and 
invested in various property and business dealings.

Homicide squad detectives have not established a motive for the brazen 
daylight execution of Moran, 36, who was gunned down in front of his children.

But police insiders told the Herald Sun Moran's bank records would be 
checked as part of the hunt for the killers.

They said Moran would have turned over millions every year through his drug 
and crime operations.

"Jason was a huge player in the drug scene," one source said.

"You could probably identify less than halfa dozen major syndicates in 
Victoria, and Jason was probably in the top two.

"Prominent underworld figures are capable of making many hundreds and 
thousands of dollars a year through drug trafficking and other scams.

"They control millions of dollars in transactions. Jason Moran was a major 
player."

Moran's mother, Judy, who has now lost two sons to gangland murders, was 
sedated in hospital last night.

Speaking briefly from her hospital bed, she said Jason loved his twin 
children dearly and was like a Pied Piper to youngsters.

Scores of death notices in the Herald Sun painted Moran as a loyal and 
loving family man.

Moran was executed in front of his six-year-old twin son and daughter and 
three other young children as they sat in a van at an Auskick clinic in 
North Essendon on Saturday morning.

His associate, Pasquale Barbaro, was also gunned down.

At least 12 schools yesterday offered counselling to children who were at 
the footy clinic.

Moran has been linked to the distribution of imported drugs and domestic 
production of drugs valued at tens of millions of dollars.

He is estimated to have been making million-dollar profits every year.

Police sources said Jason Moran and his half-brother Mark, who was murdered 
in his car outside his home in June 2000, had both worked for a criminal 
who has since turned police informer.

"They specialised in methylamphetamine ecstasy (a cheaper version of 
ecstasy) and he (the police informer) was the one who supplied all the 
expertise, sourced the ingredients and supervised their operation," a 
detective said.

A former drug cook told the Herald Sun that Moran may have been killed 
because of his association with the scene that made him rich.

The criminal source, who worked for Australia's biggest speed cartel before 
it was shut down by police five years ago, said the cartel was supplying 
the Morans and other drug factions with about 80 per cent pure speed, which 
was then mixed and sold for high profits.

He said the former police drug squad, trying to shut down his cartel, was 
supplying the operation with pseudoephedrine in a bid to gather evidence.

"When he (my cartel boss) was arrested and the supply of chemicals stopped, 
that's when some of these shootings started," he said.

"There's a drug war on over chemicals, or rather the lack of them."

Former drug squad operative Lachlan McCulloch said he believed some of the 
recent underworld murders were the result of fallouts over drug production.

He said the amount of product sometimes fell short of expectation, leaving 
some investors out of pocket.

Mr McCulloch said the murder of gangster Alphonse Gangitano may have also 
revolved around the drug trade.

"After Crown casino got its licence, Alphonse lost a lot of work because he 
was being paid to protect the illegal outlets," Mr McCulloch said.

"He was soon forced into the drug business. That caused a power struggle 
and he fell out with the Morans."

Police yesterday said they believed Barbaro, 40, was not an intended 
victim. "He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught up 
in it," a police source.

Teachers and psychologists spent yesterday helping dozens of students - 
some as young as five - come to terms with the brutal double murder.
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