Cafe owner and a former bikie enforcer arrested in drug raids

He owned a cafe on the Kingston Foreshore, where the coffee had earned the praise of Canberra's chief minister on Facebook. He boasted about buying a big block of land in Taylor, and his intentions to build on it a six bedroom house. He had a flashy Mercedes, and took spontaneous overseas holidays.

Business was allegedly so good, the 26-year-old bought a money counting machine off eBay to help process all the cash he was earning.

But police allege he funded his lifestyle dealing drugs.

Mr Baker, of O'Connor, was one of five men, including a man police have said was a bikie enforcer, and a Calwell father and son, who were  arrested in police raids across Canberra over the weekend in connection to alleged drug trafficking.

Mr Baker was charged in court on Monday with importing a commercial quantity of drugs, as well as money laundering and drug trafficking. He was refused bail.

Also arrested at the weekend was former alleged Nomads sergeant at arms Owen Turnbull, 25. Mr Turnbull was charged with multiple counts of drug trafficking but did not apply for bail during his brief appearance in the ACT Magistrates Court.

A third man, Corey James Conomos, 18, also did not apply for bail, while Magistrate Glenn Theakston freed his father Jason Wayne Conomos, 37, on bail with conditions, including that he not contact his son.

Mr Conomos senior entered pleas of not guilty during his appearance and denied anything to do with the drugs found at their Calwell home.

A fifth man, Brett Peter Thoms, 34, a director at a Canberra concreting business, was also released on bail with reporting conditions.

None, aside from Mr Conomos senior, entered pleas.

A sixth man is expected to face court on Tuesday after being extradited from Sydney.

The five men were hauled into court and charged with drug trafficking on Monday after police seized an estimated $1.5 million worth of drugs and cash in a series of weekend raids across Canberra.

In a press conference at Winchester Police Station, Detective Superintendent Scott Moller said police executed 15 raids, netting more than $100,000 in cash, six vehicles, a gun and ammunition, drugs, a house, bank accounts and jewellery.

Mr Baker was allegedly involved in a drug dealing business operating out of Canberra, and working closely with a man identified only as Civilian Participant, or CP, a police statement of allegations tendered during Mr Baker's bid for bail suggests.

It is alleged Mr Baker supplied CP with tens of pounds of cannabis to on sell to sub-dealers, including Corey Conomos.

CP would collect the cannabis across Ainslie, O'Connor and Crace in vacuum-sealed bags or suitcases, the documents say.

Over time, CP allegedly gave Mr Baker more than $2 million in cash for the drugs, and the documents say Mr Baker was prompted to buy the money counting machine off eBay.

In late 2016, it's alleged Mr Baker began trafficking in MDMA, also known as ecstasy.

At one point, he allegedly told CP that he was importing methylone, a synthetic drug, from China on behalf of someone in jail.

Mr Baker told CP the man in China had blown himself up in his garage, and the explosion was caught on camera. Mr Baker expressed regret over the death, and allegedly told CP it was hard to find someone "consistent".

Soon, Mr Baker allegedly decided to start importing the drugs himself, using a website similar to Ali Baba Express to find sellers and Bitcoin to buy the drugs.

Police allege Mr Baker would launder the proceeds of the drug sales by getting loans through a trusted contact and making loan repayments with the cash from selling drugs.

He bought a Mercedes CLA45 AMG for $70,000 with a loan for most of it, and every time a loan repayment would be due a cash deposit would be made into the bank account, his bank records allegedly reveal.

"The cash deposits ... indicate he was able to draw on an unexplained source of cash during this period," the police allegations say.

"Further the large-scale purchases of vehicles, property and business are incompatible with the defendant's legitimate income."

Things began to go pear-shaped for CP when police raided his home in January last year and seized a significant amount of drugs.

CP and another dealer began to accumulate more debt with Mr Baker, and Mr Baker began pressuring them to pay him back what he claimed was $230,000 owing, it's alleged. He said the amount owed was four "hits", which CP took to mean four murders, the documents say.

In November last year, it's alleged Mr Baker imported into Australia more than three kilograms of "bath salts" addressed to a fake name at Mr Baker's O'Connor home.

He was also allegedly growing cannabis plants in a shed out the back of his house, the documents say.

All five men will return to court at a later date.