Accused murderer Roger Rogerson will spend the night behind bars after bail was formally denied in a Sydney court.

Rogerson, 73, was on Tuesday afternoon charged with murder and large commercial drug supply after the body of university student Jamie Gao was found floating in waters off Cronulla bound in a blue tarpaulin on Monday morning.

Rogerson appeared briefly for a mention at Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday where his lawyer didn’t apply for bail, which was formally refused by Magistrate Elaine Truscott.

He’s due before Central Local Court on July 22, where he will appear by audio visual link.

Fellow former Sydney detective and self-titled whistleblower Glen McNamara, 55, was charged on Monday with the 20-year-old’s murder.

Gao was allegedly killed last Tuesday after a drug deal went wrong.

Rogerson’s lawyer, Paul Kenny, asked the magistrate for “security to be looked at” and blasted the arresting officers for the way he was arrested.

He said an “honourable” arrangement with detectives had been broken and the arrest was “done for the media.”

“This was going smooth until someone in high office decided to dishonour an honourable agreement,” he told the packed court.

The officer in charge of Tuesday morning’s operation found the “situation very funny”, he said, adding that his client was never trying to evade police.

Mr Kenny continued to criticise the actions of police outside the court.

“We had an honourable arrangement with the police to attend the Sydney police centre at midday to avoid what occurred at Mr Rogerson’s premises,” he told reporters.

“You saw what happened. That was designed purely for the media.”

He said he knows who decided to orchestrate the high-profile arrest, but wouldn’t tell reporters.

Mr Kenny wouldn’t say whether Rogerson would fight the charges.

“We’ll see when we get the brief of evidence,” he said.

The former detective was on Tuesday morning handcuffed and frogmarched from his Sydney home and taken for questioning.

Rogerson returned to Sydney from Brisbane on Monday after two of NSW’s top detectives flew up to find him.

Earlier on Tuesday, Rogerson said: “We’re back to the Gestapo days now” after police swooped on his Padstow Heights home while he was meeting with Mr Kenny.  

Mr Kenny said a complaint about Rogerson’s treatment will be lodged with NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione.

AAP