Tereapii Pokoina resentenced to eight years jail for importing 14kg of pure cocaine from Greece

A landscaper who imported 14kg of pure cocaine from Greece because he “loved that drug so much” has been stung with more jail time.

A landscaper who imported $20m of cocaine, which was uncovered as part of Operation Ironside, has been stung with two extra years on top of his original sentence.

Tereapii Pokoina’s sentence for his “essential” role in the August 2020 importation of the cocaine, which was secreted inside two welders shipped from Greece, was determined to be “manifestly inadequate”.

Judge Rauf Soulio jailed Pokoina in February for six years, with a non-parole period of three years, which was appealed by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

The District Court heard the shipment, which was uncovered as part of Operation Ironside, was worth an estimated $5m if sold wholesale or up to $20m if sold in street deals.

Judge Soulio said Pokoina had used his then employer’s address and arranged a bank transfer of just over $8000 to the overseas shipper. He also paid for customs clearances in Australia to collect the package.

Tereapii Pokoina leaving the District Court after an earlier appearance. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

“The consignment was instead seized by law enforcement authorities,” Judge Soulio said.

Pokoina pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

“It is accepted that you were at the lower level of the known hierarchy but, nevertheless, your conduct was fundamental to the success of the importation,” Judge Soulio said.

“Without you, the drugs would not have made their way to Australia.”

Judge Soulio said Pokoina had been in a “vulnerable state” when he became embroiled in the offending through a “friend” who introduced him to cocaine.

“You said that in hindsight you should have refused to take part in the importation but in the back of your mind you thought that you were going to be cut off from your supply of cocaine … you loved that drug so much,” Judge Soulio said.

He said a psychologist found Pokoina had a level of “naivety” which made him an “easier target for manipulation”.

The court heard Pokoina expected to receive up to 28g of cocaine for self use and cash totalling less than $40,000 had the importation been successful.

The Court of Appeal, comprising Justices David Lovell, Sam Doyle and Laura Stein, agreed the sentence was manifestly inadequate and resentenced Pokoina to eight years and 10 months jail, with a non-parole period of four years and 10 months.

They said given the very significant scale of the importation and the reward Pokoina stood to make for his essential involvement, the sentence imposed did not reflect the gravity of the offending or achieve the level of general deterrence required.

The sentence was backdated to February 26.