Rohit Kumar Suri and Khayat Suri sentenced for possessing opium at family-run Plympton business

An Indian grocery and takeaway in Adelaide’s suburbs was selling much more than food, a judge says – with their illicit products now exposed.

A western suburbs father and son have been spared jail after being busted by Border Force officers – who found their family-run Indian grocer was actually a front for a 2kg opium operation, disguised as “cough and cold medication”.

Rohit Kumar Suri, 60, and Khayat Suri, 34, both appeared in the District Court last month for sentencing after each pleaded guilty to possessing a border-controlled drug, possessing an amount of tobacco over 5kg, and dealing with money reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

Judge Anne Barnett said the pair, who both manage Suri’s Finest Indian Grocery, in Plympton, had “hidden” the opium in “misleadingingly labelled” bottles and plastic jars inside the shop.

“The opium at the shop was seized from various and hidden locations throughout, concealed in pellet form in misleadingly-labelled small brown glass bottles, labelled ‘Kaminividravana Rasa’ or ‘KVR’,” Judge Barnett said. “In ziplock bags and in paste form, in misleadingly labelled small white plastic jars, labelled ‘Barshasha’.

Sir Samuel Way Building. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

“The tobacco at the shop was seized from various and hidden locations. The amount of loose tobacco seized included over 20kg and the amount of cigarettes seized was 2200 sticks.

“You, Khayat, did not participate in a record of interview with Border Force. However, you did, Rohit, and said that you were unaware that the products contained opium and that ‘Barshasha’ is cough and cold medication which you used. You also commented that you were addicted to the pellets and used them as pain killers and relaxants.”

The court heard Rohit had initially purchased the shop and managed it with his wife until 2019, before passing it on to his son. His wife is not accused of any wrongdoing.

The ABF, between January 11 and June 21, 2024, executed search warrants at the shop, a residence in Trott Park and a storage unit in Reynella.

Following the search, a number of opium, loose tobacco products and cigarettes were seized.

$23,450 in cash, suspected of being proceeds of crime, was seized from the Trott Park property.

Inside the Reynella storage unit, officers found opium and tobacco products “within a number of cardboard boxes” which, similarly to the shop, was concealed in bottles and “misleadingly labelled” as ‘KVR’ and ‘Barshasha’. The opium seized there was over 3.5kg.

“I accept the items were possessed for sale at the shop and that the product was warehoused following initial seizure while you planned your next steps to dispose of the products,” Judge Barnett said.

“These opium products were readily available legally over the counter in India and it is submitted on your behalf that, while this does not moderate the offending, it does provide an explanation for your possession of the illicit items given the demand for it within your community.”

Both men were sentenced to a term of imprisonment, but ordered to be released upon entering one-year good behaviour bond.

Judge Barnett imposed a $6000 fine to Khayat and a $3000 fine to Rohit.

Originally published as Rohit Kumar Suri and Khayat Suri sentenced for possessing opium at family-run Plympton business