Gold Coast businessman walks from court after police uncover significant cocaine stash

A young company director and member of a prominent southeast Queensland business family has walked from court after a taskforce uncovered his cocaine stash.

The director of a Queensland home purchasing company has avoided a possible suspended jail sentence after he was busted with more than 20 grams in cut cocaine.

Appearing at Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday, Emilio Alexander Finizio, 24, of Ormeau Hills pleaded guilty to a string of charges.

Emilio Alexander Finizio, 24, at Beenleigh Magistrates Court. Picture: Marcel Baum.

Most prominent among them were counts of possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1, drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 3 but less than schedule 4; unlawful possession of controlled drugs; and unlawful possession of restricted drugs.

The court heard on March 4, 2021, Finizio was intercepted by police operating under the Organised Gangs Group Maxima at Ormeau Hills.

They uncovered a total of 20.42 grams cocaine, of which 2.124 grams were pure and an amount of a restricted drug sildenafil.

According to police, Finizio initially claimed the cocaine belonged to “unknown” persons.

After the matter dragged through the courts for 10 months, the defendant on Friday took full responsibility for and conceded the cocaine was for his personal use.

Given the significant amount of pure cocaine, Finizio was told by the court a suspended jail sentence, and an accompanying criminal conviction, was in range.

Finizio is listed online as a director of the Finizio Group Pty Ltd, a firm that specialises in assisting clients purchasing their first home or an investment property, according to its information page.

Under Queensland law a person with a criminal conviction can’t hold directorship of a company.

The businessman was saved from that fate due to his complete lack of criminal history, excellent family support and comprehensive efforts at rehabilitation.

Defence solicitor Daniel Hua said his client’s offending occurred during a “perfect storm” that saw a hostile takeover of the family’s company, Formway Group Limited, which nearly led to their financial ruin.

Finizio had also moved out of home to “spread his wings” and had connected with untoward company, according to the defence.

Finizio had in the meantime completely “shaken the monkey” by seeing a psychologist, a master hypnotist and documenting a series of urine tests.

The court heard the defendant was also fully supported by his family and was working with his father at Formway Infrastructure Services.

Magistrate Tina Previtera noted a suspended jail sentence was within range but acknowledged Finizio’s personal efforts at rehabilitation as so comprehensive she dismissed it.

Finizio was fined $3000 with no conviction recorded.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that there was a hostile takeover of Mr Finizio’s family company Formway Infrastructure Services. The company the subject of the takeover was Formway Group Limited. Formway Infrastructure Services was established after the takeover, and continues to trade.