Vic man on extortion, blackmail charges

A Melbourne man charged with extortion, blackmail, assault and gun and drug offences has been remanded to appear in court on Friday.

Rocco Arico was arrested in raids on Thursday morning and appeared before an out-of-sessions court in St Kilda on Thursday evening.

The 36-year-old Southbank man did not apply for bail and he was remanded overnight to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

Arico was charged with five counts of extortion, three counts of assault, and charges of blackmail, possessing a firearm, drugs, ammunition and proceeds of crime.

Police opposed bail, but when the bail judge asked Arico if he wanted to apply for bail, he replied: "Not at this stage, no."