Agustin Victor Picca jailed for drug supply after getting caught with more than 50g of cocaine

“Many people suffered in Covid but didn’t resort to selling vast quantities of cocaine to pay the mortgage,” a Gosford magistrate told a Umina Beach man sentenced for supplying drugs.

A Umina Beach concreter found with more than 50g of cocaine has been sentenced to jail.

Agustin Victor Picca appeared before Gosford Local Court on Thursday where he was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment with a non parole period of nine months.

The father of two, who owns a concreting business, pleaded guilty to one count of supply prohibited drug over the indictable quantity but under the commercial quantity.

The court heard Mr Picca needed the money as he had been financially impacted during the Covid pandemic and needed to pay a $16,000 bikie debt.

The agreed set of facts has revealed how dashcam footage led to the arrest of Mr Picca.

The facts stated that on September 10 2021 Mr Picca supplied a man with 6g of cocaine at Brooklyn.

Agustin Victor Picca, of Umina Beach, outside Gosford Local Court.

Mr Picca drove his ute to a driveway on Brooklyn Rd, parking behind a Toyota Hilux. A man exited the Hilux and headed to the driver’s window of Mr Picca’s vehicle.

“He reached into the accused’s open window with an object in his right hand and walks away with an object in his left hand,” the facts stated.

The man then had a cigarette and conversation with Mr Picca before they both left.

At around 4pm that day, Central Coast Highway patrol officers pulled the man over on the M1 at Berowra and found eight resealable bags in a cigarette container containing 6g of white power later confirmed as cocaine.

Mr Picca had more than 51g of cocaine hidden at his home in Umina Beach.

Police also seized a dashcam from the vehicle which had captured audio and visual footage of the man’s meeting with Mr Picca as well as previous conversations.

On October 8 2021, police carried out a search warrant of Mr Picca’s house in Umina Beach while he was at work. They found two plastic freezer bags containing cocaine in a plastic container in the top drawer of a wardrobe in the guest bedroom. The total weight was 51.77g while police also found more resealable bags, set of scales, handwritten tick list, sling shot and an IPAD.

Later that day Mr Picca went to Gosford Police Station and was arrested. During an interview he told police that he had bought the two bags of cocaine two days earlier for the purpose of making money as he and his wife had been short of cash during the pandemic.

Dashcam footage and audio led to the arrest.

Mr Picca’s defence lawyer pushed for an intensive corrections order, which is the equivalent of a jail term served in the community, stating that this was Mr Picca’s first drug offence and said he had business and family commitments. He also said Mr Picca was planning to sell the drug to friends.

The prosecution stated it was a serious criminal matter and Mr Picca had 11 times over the indictable quantity of cocaine. He said community safety should be taken into account.

Magistrate Price said she was concerned at Mr Picca’s admissions that he was in debt with a bikie gang.

Mr Picca was sentenced in Gosford Local Court. Picture: David Swift

“That would have been quite a lot of cocaine to be sold to friends,” she said.

She did not accept Mr Picca’s excuse that he needed the money to help with financial issues as a result of Covid.

“Many people suffered in Covid but didn’t resort to selling vast quantities of cocaine to pay the mortgage,” she said.

“There’s a real need for general deterrence and for the protection of the community.”

Mr Picca has since appealed the severity of the sentence and been released on bail. His appeal will be heard in Gosford District Court.