Paul Makdissi faces hearing over $4.5 million cocaine bust
Despite officers finding about $300,000 at his Rozelle property, a court heard that the mother of a man who pleaded guilty to possessing millions of dollars of cocaine still paid for his rent.
Central Sydney
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Sydney. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Retired barrister returns to court on child porn charges
- Rise of ‘zombie’ pedestrians putting lives at risk
A man who pleaded guilty to possessing $4.5 million in cocaine had piles of cash lying on his dining room table when police raided his home, a court has heard.
But despite officers finding about $300,000 at his Rozelle property, Paul Makdissi’s defence argues he was on the lower echelon of an illegal drug syndicate, saying his mum still paid for his groceries and rent.
Makdissi was arrested on February 9, 2017, after police investigating the supply of drugs and firearms by Assyrian organised crime groups saw him visiting a storage shed on Mullens St, Rozelle a day after they had raided the facility.
Inside they had found 2.7kg of cocaine, about 15,500 ecstasy tablets, four hand guns and ammunition.
A search of Makdissi’s nearby Pine St home resulted in another haul, with $300,000 in cash, 12.3kg of cocaine, 13.4kg of methylamphetamine, almost 3.5kg of an unknown powder, jewellery, two handguns, a motorcycle, and a Toyota Hiace van all seized.
At a hearing at Downing Centre District Court on Friday, Robert Daoud told Judge Nicole Noman that Makdissi was used as “no more than a warehouse” by syndicate head honchos.
“There is nothing to suggest he living the sort of lifestyle … of what the money suggests,” he said.
“There is nothing to suggest he was doing the trading.”
Mr Daoud said his client was “remorseful” for his conduct and “wants to turn (his) back on that kind of lifestyle”.
Mr Daoud was asked by Ms Noman to explain why Makdissi would be in possession of so much money if he was a small player in the drug operation.
“Drugs are worth a lot of money,” he responded.
The Crown rebutted those claims, saying the 32-year-old had more than $55,000 in cash lying on his dining room table and $235,000 stashed in a shopping bag when police searched the property in February 2017.
His diamond encrusted watch, recent business class flights to Hong Kong and the $575 in his wallet when arrested were examples of an “extravagant lifestyle”, the court heard.
Makdissi has pleaded guilty to charges including supplying commercial quantity of prohibited drug, not keep firearm safely, possession of ammunition without a license, dealing with proceeds of crime, possessing prohibited drug, and possession of prohibited firearms.
He will be sentenced on October 14.
