Australian government lawyer Nick Gouliaditis charged with drug dealing, possessing firearm
00:00
A senior Sydney lawyer employed by the Australian government and a former financial worker have been charged over their alleged involvement in a sophisticated drug syndicate.
On Thursday morning following a two-month police investigation, Nick Gouliaditis was arrested at his Sydney office in Martin Place, where he is employed as a senior executive lawyer with the Australian Government Solicitor - the agency that provides legal advice to the government.
The 34-year-old was charged with suppling the drugs methylamphetamine (ice) and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) as well as dealing in the proceeds of crime, resisting arrest and possessing a prohibited firearm.
In a bail application before Central Local Court on Friday, it was alleged that Mr Gouiliaditis and his co-accused, Andrew Connell, 25, were part of a "sophisticated syndicate" that supplied drugs to mid-level drug dealers.
Police allege undercover officers bought 500 millilitres of GHB, also known as fantasy, and 13.8 grams of ice from Mr Gouliaditis on a number of occasions between late July and mid-August this year.
Investigators say the solicitor was in possession of three grams of ice, an ice pipe, scales, numerous resealable plastic bags and a large amount of cash when they arrested him.
They also searched his home in Newtown, in Sydney's inner west, where they allege they found a stun gun and 700 millilitres of a liquid thought to be GHB.
Mr Gouliaditis' barrister, Jeff Tunks, told the court the allegations against his client were "street-level stuff", not a sophisticated drug network, rather a "garden variety" criminal operation.
Mr Connell's barrister argued that his client, who was arrested at a Kings Cross apartment on Thursday, was not the intended target of the police operation and had no criminal history. The out-of-work insolvency adviser was however before a different court on counterfeit money charges.
Police opposed bail for both men, saying they were part of an organised crime network and could have the capacity to forge documents that would help them flee the jurisdiction. The prosecutor also raised concerns about the possibility the men could interfer with evidence or tip off their co-accused, with further arrests likely.
While acknowledging the strength of the prosecution case, and the likelihood both men would serve custodial sentences if convicted, the magistrate granted both men strict conditional bail.
Mr Gouliaditis, who has been suspended from work pending the outcome of his trial, was ordered to surrender $20,000 in surety, stay at his father's home in Cronulla, report daily to police, adhere to a curfew between 8am and 8pm and surrender his passport. He is also banned from visiting the Kings Cross area.
The families of both men supported them in court.
The matter returns to court later this year.
00:00
A senior Sydney lawyer employed by the Australian government and a former financial worker have been charged over their alleged involvement in a sophisticated drug syndicate.
On Thursday morning following a two-month police investigation, Nick Gouliaditis was arrested at his Sydney office in Martin Place, where he is employed as a senior executive lawyer with the Australian Government Solicitor - the agency that provides legal advice to the government.
The 34-year-old was charged with suppling the drugs methylamphetamine (ice) and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) as well as dealing in the proceeds of crime, resisting arrest and possessing a prohibited firearm.
Police lead the 34-year-old lawyer from his Martin Place office. Photo: Supplied
In a bail application before Central Local Court on Friday, it was alleged that Mr Gouiliaditis and his co-accused, Andrew Connell, 25, were part of a "sophisticated syndicate" that supplied drugs to mid-level drug dealers.
Police allege undercover officers bought 500 millilitres of GHB, also known as fantasy, and 13.8 grams of ice from Mr Gouliaditis on a number of occasions between late July and mid-August this year.
Investigators say the solicitor was in possession of three grams of ice, an ice pipe, scales, numerous resealable plastic bags and a large amount of cash when they arrested him.
They also searched his home in Newtown, in Sydney's inner west, where they allege they found a stun gun and 700 millilitres of a liquid thought to be GHB.
Mr Gouliaditis' barrister, Jeff Tunks, told the court the allegations against his client were "street-level stuff", not a sophisticated drug network, rather a "garden variety" criminal operation.
Mr Connell's barrister argued that his client, who was arrested at a Kings Cross apartment on Thursday, was not the intended target of the police operation and had no criminal history. The out-of-work insolvency adviser was however before a different court on counterfeit money charges.
Police opposed bail for both men, saying they were part of an organised crime network and could have the capacity to forge documents that would help them flee the jurisdiction. The prosecutor also raised concerns about the possibility the men could interfer with evidence or tip off their co-accused, with further arrests likely.
While acknowledging the strength of the prosecution case, and the likelihood both men would serve custodial sentences if convicted, the magistrate granted both men strict conditional bail.
Mr Gouliaditis, who has been suspended from work pending the outcome of his trial, was ordered to surrender $20,000 in surety, stay at his father's home in Cronulla, report daily to police, adhere to a curfew between 8am and 8pm and surrender his passport. He is also banned from visiting the Kings Cross area.
The families of both men supported them in court.
The matter returns to court later this year.
(23/8/2014 Sydney Morning Herald)
前日故事的延續，原來是政府律師販毒。看來我應該改題目，叫一面做律師，一面販賣毒品。高級政府律師，薪高糧凖，雖然交稅也重，但也不致於要販毒。不知是甚麽的沉淪故事，讓我猜他就是一面食、一面糶那種。雖然有受過法律訓練的人，不是犯法免疫的，但一般都會守法意識強，戰戰競競，謹慎為人。搞到鋌而走險，也很少沾及毒品，還搞到落手販毒，實在罕見。這不是知識型的犯法，知識型的會千方百計地掩飾，迂迴曲折的不留痕迹。他為了貪婪嗎？肯定不是。貪婪就會利用職權來賺錢。不是沾過毒品，就沒有門路去販毒，連去那裏買也不知，遑論去賣。
有正當職業，收入穩定的人，為錢而犯法，當然是經濟出了問題。為了供樓或為家人籌手術費為理由的，都是編出來的故事居多。除了出於貪婪，最有可能就是賭博，甚或是女人。揮霍慣而入不敷支，一般都會從工作上的機會去鑽，沒有人為了飛去看歌劇而販毒。像這律師，可能吸毒之後花在毒品上的錢太多，負擔不起，於是利用這安全身份來販毒，以致泥足深陷。
有正當職業，收入穩定的人，為錢而犯法，當然是經濟出了問題。為了供樓或為家人籌手術費為理由的，都是編出來的故事居多。除了出於貪婪，最有可能就是賭博，甚或是女人。揮霍慣而入不敷支，一般都會從工作上的機會去鑽，沒有人為了飛去看歌劇而販毒。像這律師，可能吸毒之後花在毒品上的錢太多，負擔不起，於是利用這安全身份來販毒，以致泥足深陷。
古時有周處除三害，現時有黃、賭、毒、貪、奸，有排除！
回覆刪除一雞死，一雞鳴，點除？
刪除那種現象一般不涉專業人士，丸仔醫生除外，因為丸仔醫生可以利用職權賣丸仔，但也只限精神科藥物。
回覆刪除The commission of this white collar crime would be more common among lawyers?
回覆刪除http://www.icac.org.hk/tc/pr/index_uid_1587.html
律師胡永傑，五十七歲，簡家驄律師行合夥人，被裁定一項罪名成立，即處理已知道或合理地相信為代表從可公訴罪行的得益的財產，違反《有組織及嚴重罪行條例》第25(1)條。
同案另一被告為家庭主婦葉芳，四十三歲，上市公司天然乳品(新西蘭)控股有限公司(天然乳品)前執行董事陳克恩的妻子，則被裁定一項相類罪名成立。
法官葉佐文將案件押後至本星期五(八月二十九日)，以待被告求情。被告暫時還押懲教署看管。
http://www.icac.org.hk/en/pr/index_uid_1587.html
Wu Wing-kit, 57, solicitor and partner of Fred Kan & Co. (FKC), was found guilty of one count of dealing with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
Co-defendant Ye Fang, 43, housewife and wife of Chen Keen, a former executive director of listed Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings Limited (NDNZ), was convicted of a similar offence.
Judge Eddie Yip Chor-man adjourned the case to this Friday (August 29) for mitigation, and remanded the defendants in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
At times even lawyers trangress the law for greed. They are not immuned. Isolated incidents as such do not surprise anyone.
刪除