Mr saffron should be employed by the australian forces as a camouflage expert, sir. He’s done it successfully for many many years.
Jim Anderson, 1983
Known as 'Mr Sin', Abe Saffron was one of the principal figures in organised crime in Australia, exerting the strongest influence over those in positions of power. Surveillance and illegal phone taps by New South Wales police uncovered details of Saffron entertaining Police Commissioner Merv Wood and the heads of 21 Division and the CIB on Friday afternoons at his office, known as Lodge 44.
Saffron aggressively defended his name, and won many defamation lawsuits, particularly about being called Mr Sin. In 2005 he won a defamation suit against the compilers of
a crossword who listed 'Abe Saffron' as the answer to the question, 'Who is the Sydney underworld figure nicknamed Mr Sin?'
Photograph © Fairfaxphotos