<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A gangland lawyer is no longer facing criminal charges after prosecutors withdrew the case against her.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sarah Tricarico, who has been acting for drug kingpin Tony Mokbel, was accused alongside Youssef Samaan Raffoul, 33, of attempting to pervert the course of justice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The charges were linked to information uncovered during a 2021 Operation Ironside investigation, which monitored communications shared using the AN0M app.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/trump-signs-bill-to-release-jeffrey-epstein-case-files-after-fighting-it-for-months/e6f68aea-4da7-4aef-8086-fc36a4c94ca2"><strong><span>Trump signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein case files</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The app was set up by authorities under the guise of offering organised crime figures a safe encrypted messaging service when in reality it was being monitored by the AFP and FBI.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A committal hearing began in Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday, where the police informant was cross-examined by lawyers for Tricarico and Raffoul.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Today, senior crown prosecutor Raymond Gibson KC advised the court the charges should be struck out.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sarah-tricarico-tony-mokbel-lawyer-melbourne-gangland/2238bb1c-0cc3-4451-b92e-5066b70ec06d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As a result of a review of the evidence ... the prosecution has decided to withdraw both charges against the accused," he told the court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/owner-charged-after-ute-with-dog-dead-inside-found-on-street-queensland/1532d732-7402-48d7-a35d-bb183d84e7ca" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Bizarre twist as owner charged over death of Arnie the German shepherd</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Magistrate Leon Fluxman subsequently struck out the charges against Tricarico and Raffoul, with both of them free to leave the court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Their lawyers did not apply for costs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tricarico has been representing gangland figure Mokbel since at least 2017 in his appeal against drug convictions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mokbel in October successfully overturned two of his three convictions, with the Court of Appeal finding barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo infected the prosecution.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He is still facing a potential retrial on one of the charges.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>