Asbestos Waste Dumped: Ex-Bikie Associate Fined

Andrew Hughes, formerly associated with the Rebels bikie gang, and his company Ant Civil Pty Ltd have been penalized $335,043 by Liverpool Local Court for a significant environmental offense. They were found to have knowingly dumped over 2800 tonnes of construction waste contaminated with asbestos onto private properties in south-west Sydney, namely in Rossmore and Thirlmere.

Landowners at these semi-rural locations had responded to advertisements offering free fill to level their land. However, they were deceived, as the delivered loads contained not only debris but also bonded asbestos sheets. Text messages revealed Hughes directed contractors to 'tip' the waste directly into a dam, indicating a deliberate and egregious criminal act.

This incident is part of a larger pattern of alleged environmental pollution by Hughes. He is concurrently facing serious charges in the NSW Land and Environment Court for allegedly dumping more than 100,000 tonnes of contaminated material on a property he part-owned at Wheeny Creek. Evidence for this larger dumping operation, which continued for over two decades, was gathered through covert surveillance.

Further investigations have uncovered additional illegal dumping charges against Hughes concerning properties in Windsor Downs and Bilpin. The scale of contamination at Wheeny Creek is so severe that toxic sludge is leaching into a nearby wetland, with water tests revealing hazardous levels of metals. Hughes and his family reportedly left Australia in 2023, claiming fear for their lives and stating they could not afford to return to testify.