Gert Kristo and Jetmir Nikolla pleaded not guilty to attempted cocaine trafficking in hotel room
Four men will stand trial alleged to have bought 10kg of “cocaine” from undercover cops – after two failed to have their charges thrown out in court.
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Four men, including brothers are alleged to have bought 10kg of “cocaine” from undercover cops, plus growing kilograms of marijuana in a sophisticated drug operation, a court has heard.
Gert Kristo, 38, and Jetmir Nikolla, 31, were unsuccessful in their bids to have their charges thrown out, after the court heard an alleged drug deal ended up being a nasty surprise instead.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday heard the men were investigated as part of a covert police operation in September, 2020.
Police allege Gert met with undercover officers to buy 10kg of an inert substance, believing it was cocaine.
It is alleged he made a down payment of $100,000 and the inert substance was then taken to a North Adelaide hotel room on October 9, 2020.
The court heard that Gert, his brother, Anastas Kristo, 38, and Anthony George Caroscio, 38, were arrested by police leaving the hotel room, where cocaine testing kits were allegedly found.
Police then searched the men’s houses and allegedly found marijuana plants at two Fulham Garden addresses, the court heard.
They also allegedly found 26 marijuana plants at a Seacliff residence and 33 plants and 11.6kg of marijuana in vacuum sealed packaging at a Kilkenny address.
On Tuesday, a prosecutor told the court Mr Nikolla booked the hotel room where the inert substance was taken.
The court heard Mr Nikolla was located nearby after police raided the hotel room and it was alleged he acted as a lookout for the men.
The prosecutor said Mr Nikolla was surveyed visiting several of the grow house addresses and travelled with Gert on one occasion.
David Edwardson KC, for Gert, said there was “virtually nothing” in regards to evidence linking his client to the grow houses.
Mr Edwardson said Gert couldn’t be linked to other drug activity purely because of his association with the other men and the “fictitious cocaine”.
Patrick Dawes, for Mr Nikolla, said there was no evidence his client knew the cocaine was going to be purchased.
“He never features in the surveillance material, never features in the telecommunication material,” he said.
“The case in respect of the growhouses and Mr Nikollas boils down to a toothbrush in one of the two Fulham Gardens properties.”
Magistrate Simon Smart said he found a case to answer for both men on attempting to traffic in a commercial quantity of cocaine and multiple counts of cannabis cultivation.
Nikolla, of Woodville North, and Gert, of Seaton, pleaded not guilty to all charges and were committed to the District Court for arraignment in May.
Mr Caroscio, of Rostrevor, and Anastas, of Seaton, have also pleaded not guilty to attempting to traffic in a commercial quantity of drugs.
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