Amani Tofaeono, Darren Vili: Dial-a-dealers plead guilty over cash and cocaine

A magistrate has scolded a 28-year-old for “dragging” his cousin into “the rabbit hole of drugs” when he was just one week shy of a child, in a deal that could have ruined the young man’s life.

A “selfish” 28-year-old man dragged along his unwitting younger cousin to a cocaine deal and was caught red-handed with bundles of drug money in a Jeep Cherokee, a court has heard.

Amani Joshua Taurima Tofaeono, of Eagle Vale, and his 18-year-old cousin Darren Vili, were pulled over in Darlinghurst about 7pm on December 4, 2020.

According to facts tendered to Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, police had seen Vili and Tofaeono giving a man known to officers two clear resealable bags of cocaine in exchange for $500 in a car parked outside 150 Liverpool Street.

Darren Vili escaped conviction over a cocaine dial-a-dealer exchange. Picture: Clare Sibthorpe

Upon searching the man as he left the jeep, police found 1.17g of cocaine and arrested him.

The documents state when police approached Vili and Tofaeono, they found $2850 inside a jacket pocket in the car. Vili said the jacket belonged to him and he had put $500 there following the cocaine deal but was not aware of the total money in the jacket.

When police asked if more drugs were around, Tofaeono showed them a black magnetic compartment between the centre console and cup holders with one clear resealable bag containing 0.54g of cocaine.

The pair were arrested and taken to a police station.

The facts state Tofaeono admitted he owned the cash in the jacket and it was drug money. He said the bag of cocaine found in the car was for his personal use.

In court, Vili’s lawyer said her client “had no knowledge upon entering the vehicle that a drug transaction would happen.”

“He thought he was going for a drive,” she said.

She noted in court he was not charged for the cash found in car but only the $500 he put in the pocket, adding he was one week shy of being dealt with as a minor and it would be hard for him to find a job if he was convicted.

In sentencing Vili, Deputy Chief Magistrate Sharon Freund told the court he claimed he was “completely naive getting in the car with Tofaeono.”

Joshua Taurima Tofaeono was caught in Darlinghurst with cocaine and cash. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“If that’s the case, it’s a pretty selfish act on behalf of your cousin - dragging you along to commit a crime,” she said.

Magistrate Freund said he was now an adult and it was time to “step up, grow up and take responsibility”.

“You might think it’s nothing more than a party drug and you can make a little money on the side of but it’s not,” she said.

“I’ve seen the repercussions of this drug. People have ended up having strokes, heart attacks. It’s illegal for a reason.

Turning to Tofaeono, a stern Magistrate Freund said he should be ashamed of himself for “dragging him [Vili] down the rabbit hole of drug addiction”.

“He did this to his own cousin. He’s 18 years old,” she said.

Vili was sentenced to an 18-month conditional release order with no conviction for supplying a small quantity of a prohibited drug. The sentence took into account the offence of dealing with the property proceeds of crime.

Tofaeono pleaded guilty to supply small quantity of a prohibited drug and possess a prohibited drug. The court heard the offence of dealing with property proceeds of crime would be taken into account in his sentencing, which was adjourned until March 21.

Tofaeono’s lawyer asked for the adjournment to gather evidence of regular negative drug and alcohol tests required by his employer, AMACO.

She said Tofaeono, who supplies frozen goods to supermarkets, had a drug problem at the time at the offending but had not touched illegal drugs or alcohol since.