Plumpton ex-model Anei Dut pleads guilty to criminal activity charge

A former western Sydney model, who was once voted South Sudan’s “third most handsome man”, has pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal group. Here’s the latest.

Anei Dut had once modelled for the likes of Calibre and Jack London, among others. Picture: Instagram

A former male model who used to strut down catwalks and was once voted the “third most handsome man” in South Sudan has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a criminal activity.

Anei Dut, 29, appeared before the Mt Druitt Local Court via video on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal group – contribute to criminal activity.

Dut, who has walked the catwalk for the likes of David Jones, was one of three men charged over an alleged $105m cocaine plot back in 2023.

Documents tendered to the court state on June 7 2023, Dut had been travelling with four other people in a stolen vehicle throughout Port Botany.

The car was spotted stopping at the front gates of ACFS Logistics shipping container yard at 2am, with CCTV footage capturing three people dressed in black clothing and wearing balaclavas jumping out of the car.

Picture of South Sudanese male model Anei Dut. Picture: David Smith

The three men were busted by security and legged it from the shipping yard, catching back up with the vehicle after it did a U-turn on the Prince of Wales Drive.

Dut was still in the stolen vehicle as it made an attempt to escape but had to abandon it with the others once they hit a dead end on Morrison Way.

Anei Dut leaving Newtown Local Court on October 4.

Dut and the other co-accused were allegedly last seen sprinting through the Little Botany Cemetary, with police later recovering the abandoned vehicle.

Police were able to place Dut in the stolen vehicle when they found his DNA on an empty V Energy drink can.

On October 19 2023, police arrested Dut at his address in Plumpton and during a search of his place allegedly found 1.150kgs of methamphetamine, one firearm pistol magazine containing nine live rounds of ammo, a fraudulent NSW drivers licence with Dut’s photo and “other items of interest”.

In court on Tuesday, Dut’s lawyer said his client told him this wasn’t “the life he wants to lead”.

“He knows ‘if I do that again, I will go into custody and lose everything’ … he knows that he’s only got one chance,” his lawyer said.

Magistrate James Gibson said although it was clear “some criminal enterprise was going on in that shipping yard” Dut’s involvement boiled down to “his presence”.

“In terms of the participating in criminal group offence, his involvement is on the lower end of the seriousness,” Mr Gibson said.

Dut was convicted and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order.

He will face a district court on April 29 for more serious drug-related offences.