In a bid to leave his family financially secure in the future, he gets involved in the world of illegal drugs.

Sound familiar?

Millions of people across the world watched the descent of high school science teacher Walter White in the hit international television series Breaking Bad; now the same gripping premise has played out in real life in a sleepy Wollongong suburb, following the busting of a $20 million international drug trafficking ring.

Bernhard Stevermuer, a licensed commercial pilot from Fairy Meadow who ran a small aviation business called Always Airborne, was 40 years old when he was diagnosed with his second bout of cancer in 2011.

His ill-health troubled him, but not nearly as much as the thought of leaving behind a cash-strapped family should he pass away.

Coincidentally, Stevermuer's former neighbour, with whom he'd lost contact, got in touch with him around the same time with a business proposition: he and his mate had a number of "investors" who wanted to buy into his aircraft business.

Stevermuer agreed, eager to secure a future for his family.

He was apparently not concerned that his new business associates were involved in a major domestic drug ring, and planned to use his business to launder their dirty money overseas.

From 2012 to mid-2014, Stevermuer bought three planes, one each from the United States, Malaysia and Cambodia, using money supplied to him by the neighbour and his business partner.

However, investigations by police revealed a "highly suspicious" paper trail linked to the purchase of two of the planes.

In the case of the US plane, which was infamously raided at Albion Park airport last July, $450,000 was paid through six bank transfers from five Chinese accounts, none of which had legitimate links to Stevermuer or his two associates.

The US Department of Homeland Security told investigating officers at least one of the accounts had been used suspiciously in the past to transfer large amounts of money from Asia to the United States.

Stevermuer's two associates transferred $200,000 for the plane bought in Malaysia, again using suspicious accounts believed to be linked to drug operations.

Investigators couldn't find any evidence of who paid for the Cambodia plane and how.

In October 2013, Stevermuer sought to buy a flight training and charter business and an aircraft maintenance business from the Albion-Park based Wollongong Aerial Patrol.

He offered $1.5 million, which was tentatively accepted by the board of directors.

However, problems quickly arose, with police again finding highly suspicious activity relating to transfers from so-called investors.

However, there were no formal contracts or agreements and the only two receipts were fraudulent.

The sole deposit police deemed legitimate was a $200,000 payment made by Stevermuer's elderly father, Rudi.

The deal eventually fell over.

Police found $70,000 during a raid at Stevermuer's McLean Avenue home on July 8, the same day they searched the plane at Albion Park airport.

In Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday, police claimed money used to pay for the planes, payments to the Aerial Patrol and the cash seized from Stevermuer's house, were all part of huge profits from the drug trafficking syndicate run by his two associates.

They said Stevermuer was paid the $70,000 for flying the US-bought aircraft into Australia.

"The offender was predominantly used for his aviation skills ... he was well rewarded within the international criminal group and was well aware of the activities the syndicate were involved in," police said.

"The offender has worked in concert with [his two associates] to further the methods of obtaining criminally tainted funds."

Stevermuer pleaded guilty to charges of dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime and knowingly participating in a criminal group, and will be sentenced next month.

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