A man accused of being a bikie affiliate allegedly distracted police officers, who were searching his home, before throwing his phone from a balcony and destroying it.
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Domenico Luca Costanzo, 28, used a hooded jumper and sheet of paper to hide from media cameras after being granted bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The Gungahlin man is yet to enter pleas to charges of perverting the course of justice and possessing a prohibited article said to be "body armour".
The court heard he and and alleged co-offender Yazin Al Naqib, 35, may also face drug-related charges after police found "items consistent with drug trafficking".
Officers searched Costanzo's home early on Tuesday morning with intent of seize electronic devices, including a phone which the man identified as being his.
Police claim Costanzo, who was sitting on a couch, covered his mouth and gestured to officers he needed to vomit, directing them to retrieve a bowl from the kitchen for him.
"Police observed [Costanzo] immediately pick up his phone, run towards the balcony and throw it from his thirteenth storey apartment to the ground below," police documents stated.
Police claim officers also found items including a suspected drug pill press, a large quantity of yellow tablets, clip seal bags containing white powder and a crystalline substance, scales and cash.
"It's anticipated there are far more serious charges to be laid," prosecutor Luke Crocker said.
Officers also claim to have found a "khaki green body armour ballistic vest" with protective plates inside it.
The court heard police believed Costanzo was affiliated with the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang.
Mr Crocker said Costanzo had been allegedly seen twice wearing Finks colours and was, on the second occasion, seen with others under "control" of the man believed to be club's president.
The prosecutor opposed the man's bail applications on the grounds he was likely to commit crimes and interfere with police investigations.
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Costanzo's defence lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith said these claims were "very speculative".
"It is clearly premised on the fact that one of the charges is an allegation of [interfering with evidence]," the lawyer said.
Mr Kukulies-Smith described the alleged evidence destruction as "crude" and "unsophisticated".
The prosecutor also opposed Al Naqib's Wednesday bail application on the same grounds.
Al Naqib, who the court heard was allegedly a "well known" Finks member, was denied bail on Wednesday after being subject to Tuesday's police search.
The alleged offender is accused of refusing to provide passcodes to a laptop and phone which police demanded access to.
Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker described the allegation as a "flagrant disobedience of the law".
He is yet to enter pleas to the charge of failing to comply with an order made by a magistrate.
Al Naqib appeared before the court with an extensive criminal history which included drug, weapon and non-compliance offences.
"This places him in a very different category than his co-accused," Ms Walker said.
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Tim Piccione
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
