Aussie Poker Pros Caught In $4 Million Cocaine Bust

#1
Both David Saab and Robert Reemeus are members of a team of poker players called “The SAAB Squad.” According to the (Dead link: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Be1zyxb8EUkJ:www.facebook.com/pages/The-SAAB-Squad-Learn-It-Live-It-Love-It/184175374940639%3Fv%3Dapp_2347471856+The+SAAB+Squad+facebook&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com) _team’s Facebook page_(FB page removed, this is a temp-cache), “The SAAB Squad is a team of exceptional poker players from Australia that will be traveling the globe in search of success on the felt.” The page also says, “The Squad focuses on learning the game, living the dream, and loving every minute...”
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Poker Pros In $4 Million Cocaine Bust

February 14th, 2011
Source: A. Mitchell / OnlinePoker.net


A group of poker and gambling pros are currently behind bars in an Australian jail after being accused of smuggling 21 kilograms of cocaine into Australia on January 17th.

Allegedly, the cocaine worth around $4.2 million was imported from Vancouver, Canada to Sydney, Australia in machine parts before being discovered by Customs and Border Protection Officers. Allowing the illicit operation to carry on undisturbed, David Saab and Robert Reemeus then passed the drugs onto Darren Hughes a week later before officials swooped in on the drugs deal.


Poker Pro David Saab

Both David “zanderfish” Saab, 37, and Robert “remo_04″ Reemeus, 27, are poker pros who, along with some other notable names form a team of Australian poker pros known as “The SAAB Squad.”

The group’s Facebook page has the following description: “The SAAB Squad is a team of exceptional poker players from Australia that will be traveling the globe in search of success on the felt. The Squad focuses on learning the game, living the dream, and loving every minute… Well except for those times when we can all hate the game!”

Out of the SAAB Squad members, only David Saab and Robert Reemeus are involved in the drug bust.

David “zanderfish” Saab’s poker achievements in the past include victory at the 2008 Asian Poker Tour $2.5k buy-in event in Manilla for $280,000. A couple of months later, Saab wearing a blue Superman t-shirt placed 46th in the WSOP Main Event for $135,100. He is currently showing $550,720 in live career earnings.

Alternatively, Robert “remo_04″ Reemeus’ poker profits have mainly come online, where he has won around $44,338, most of it accounted for by success at Full Tilt‘s $75k Guaranteed for $39,015 last February.
According to news source blackjackchamp.com, the men may have formed criminal connections whilst visiting various poker venues around the world.

The news source goes on to state:
“A source close to the investigation commented that “the SAAB Squad plays high stakes games in underground casinos all over the world. They rub shoulders with some unsavory international organized crime figures from every corner of the world. You won’t find priests or librarians discussing blackjack strategy at 3 in the morning in those places.”

If found guilty, Saab, Reemus and Hughes could face up to a maximum of 25 years in prison. The court date is currently set for May this year.

xxx​
 

Katweezel

Well-Known Member
#2
Zeng, this article seems to imply there's something wrong with cocaine. This cannot be correct as I often read about the flood of it coming through Mexico, and headed North where Americans seem to like it as well. :) As for Aussies doing something they might be innocent of until they are proved guilty, I can only say that Aussies mostly came from a long line of (English, Irish etc) convicts. Or at least my ancestry did... But let's face facts: Nobody is perfect. :grin:
 

blackriver

Well-Known Member
#3
played with that dude

I was in melbourne tryna learn nl holdem (was an online limit holdem pro b4 party left the us). I was already crushing the game everyday for a month straight just calling down stupid bluffs. But every dday the games would be good until this assholee came. He seems so socially needy, he'd just "befriend" every fish at the table by telling them what they're doing wrong after every hand. I'm aware that there are plenty of "table coaches"(derogatory, blabber mouth know it alls) who love to educate fish, but this guy was the worst.with very little experience I was makingclose to $200/hr in the beginning and when he wasn't there (mostly 5/10 and some 2/5). But everyday the games got worse and barely playable if he was there.

People like him are the reason poker games are not as lucrative any more. He was the worst of them and its only appropriate that now that he ruined his $200/hr gig that he'd have to turn to crime which as we know does not pay ($200/hr)

(Note; I actually think he's got a good heart. I don't have anything against the crime he committed and would probably consider him an intelligent trustworthy person. I think his social neediness gets the best of him and I imagine that's how he got mixed up in drug trafficing too. Learn from him.)
 

Sucker

Well-Known Member
#4
Time to change the name of the team to: "The S.O.B. Squad". Anyone who thinks that dealing cocaine is a relatively harmless crime is a lunatic, and beyond help. I won't even waste my breath explaining all the reasons why cocaine dealers are the absolute lowest scum of the earth.
 
#5
Sucker said:
I won't even waste my breath explaining all the reasons why
cocaine dealers are the absolute lowest scum of the earth.
Coke dealers as opposed to heroin dealers? zg
See - The white stuff in Ken Uston's nose wasn't coke​
 

forwhat77

Well-Known Member
#6
:)Guess they are both of equal scum? But how come it makes them scum when they are providing supply for a demand? Don't get me wrong, I think "dealing" is a pretty scummy career choice, but then if it wasn't in such a high demand there wouldn't be any opportunities....

What about the pharmaceutical companies?
 
#7
forwhat77 said:
:)Guess they are both of equal scum? But how come it makes them scum when they are providing supply for a demand? Don't get me wrong, I think "dealing" is a pretty scummy career choice, but then if it wasn't in such a high demand there wouldn't be any opportunities....

What about the pharmaceutical companies?
Big Pharma is far more scummy than illicit drug-dealers.
Drug laws to more damage to society than drugs. zg
 
#8
zengrifter said:
Both David Saab and Robert Reemeus are members of a team of poker players called “The SAAB Squad.” They are currently behind bars in an Australian jail after being accused of smuggling 21 kilograms of cocaine into Australia on January 17th.
What a Saab story! zg
 

blackriver

Well-Known Member
#9
Charlie sheen just canceled a trip to australia, coincidence?
(Dead link: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoHg5SJYRHA0&v=oHg5SJYRHA0&gl=US) _Sheen's get away?_
 

BrianCP

Well-Known Member
#11
blackjack avenger said:
So not all poker pros win?
or is it
they can't overcome their coke habit!

:joker::whip:
Aaaaaaaacho
That was certainly Mike Matasow's problem for a while.

Stu Ungar didn't have a problem with winning while on more cocaine than Tony Montana, but his septum did dissolve and his nose collapsed.

One story of his epic cocaine use goes like this, he was at a party, and three or four guys were discussing how much cocaine to buy (8th of a kilo, quarter of a kilo if they were feeling crazy). Stu turns around with a wad of hundreds in his hand and says, "Guys, lets just get a whole kilo!"
 
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