Two men have been sentenced for their role in the so-called "7-eleven" of the Illawarra's drug trade, but the leader's syndicate remains at large.
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Salim Sam Nehme, 28, and Simon Dimitrija Suleski, 24, were sentenced in Wollongong District Court on Thursday to three charges each of supplying large commercial quantities of prohibited drugs to which they pleaded guilty.
A police sting snared the pair in late 2020, after a series of transactions where Nehme and Suleski supplied a police witness with over a kilo each of cocaine and MDMA and over 800 grams of methamphetamines in return for over half a million dollars.
Subsequent search warrants found methamphetamines, cash and cocaine at Suleski's home as well as a quantity of cannabis which he was not sentenced for.
In Nehme's case, police found cash, cocaine and cannabis. Nehme was also not sentenced for the cannabis possession.
Investigations into the two began in June 2020 as Wollongong District police established Strike Force Elfrida to investigate the commercial supply of cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamines.
Police utilised phone taps, surveillance devices, controlled operations and physical and electronic surveillance.
Suleski and Nehme used encrypted messaging apps to communicate with one another and referred to their supervisor as 'The Godfather'.
The police witness was in communication with 'The Godfather', who is not yet known, to purchase the quantities of drugs over a three month period.
Nehme and Suleski were the drug couriers who would arrive at a location in Unanderra and hand over the drugs in return for the cash.
This occurred on five separate occasions, including one incident, described by Judge Andrew Haesler as "disturbing", where Suleski was accompanied by his heavily pregnant girlfriend.
Plans were made for a sixth exchange where the largest quantity of drugs and cash yet would exchanged, including 860.5 grams of MDMA, 470 grams of methamphetamines and 470.5 grams of cocaine in return for $266,800, but police swooped in advance, arresting both in a vehicle on Waverley Drive, Unanderra on Wednesday, December 16.
Salim and Nehme's homes in Calderwood and Cordeaux Heights were raided where police netted more drugs and cash.
While not charged with organised crime offences, Mr Haesler said it was clear the two were part of a sophisticated operation.
"There was obviously a system in place, with some organisation, encrypted phones, and organised criminal activities."
However, Judge Haesler said that Nehme and Suleski were at the bottom of the food chain and it was 'The Godfather' who was in control.
"It would appear that the offenders were only involved for short terms as part of delivery of drugs and collection of money but without people such as Nehme and Suleski the huge profits made by those up the chain in the hierarchy could not be made," Judge Haesler said.
"But, absent the involvement of people such as they, drug supply networks would simply collapse."
In sentencing both Nehme and Suleski, Judge Haesler took into account their motivations for becoming involved in the drug trade.
In Nehme's case, the development of anxiety in his teens turned into a disorder that he medicated with cocaine. This led to Nehme being arrested in 2019 and convicted for possession of methamphetamines.
Following this conviction, Nehme told Judge Haesler he was threatened by his dealer with violence if $80,000 was not repaid - the amount, with interest, he lost when he was first arrested.
This led Nehme back into the drug underworld despite the terms of his conviction prohibiting him from engaging in such activity.
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On Suleski's part, a traumatic upbringing led him into a drug habit including cannabis use in his teens that morphed into a significant cocaine habit by the time he was 21.
"By the time of this offence [Suleski] was using an inordinate amount of cocaine," Mr Haesler said.
Despite this, Mr Haesler said he accepted Suleski was trying to turn his life around, including by spending time in a rehab facility while his matter was proceeding through the courts.
With these factors in mind, Mr Haelser said a finding of special circumstances was warranted.
In sum, Haesler sentenced Nehme to a combined five years and six months in prison, with a non parole period of three years and three months. With time already served, Nehme will be eligible for parole after August 15, 2024.
Suleski was sentenced to the same aggregate sentence and non parole period, however due to his circumstances will be eligible for parole from May 13, 2024.
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