Jermaine Punzalan: Recruitment professional busted selling coke at Bondi

A man turned to dealing drugs after losing his job as a recruitment professional. However, police were soon on to him after seeing him cruising around Bondi in his Jeep Wrangler.

Jermaine Punzalan outside court. Picture: Monique Harmer

A recruitment professional has fronted court after being busted selling five bags of cocaine at Bondi.

Jermaine Punzalan, 30, from Bella Vista, was arrested by police after selling cocaine to a customer near Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel on Saturday, November 21.

Police spotted him pick up a man in a Jeep that evening before dropping him off shortly after.

The agreed facts stated police spoke to the passenger who claimed he just paid $1500 for five bags of cocaine found in his possession.

Police stopped the Jeep Wrangler that Punzalan was driving and found the $1500 cash.

He pleaded guilty at Waverley Local Court.

“Police viewed messages on the phone of the accused discussing the sale of five bags,” the agreed facts read.

Punzalan admitted to selling the drugs and he later told police he bought bags of cocaine for $250 each and sold them on for $300.

Police also found a further two bags of coke inside his wallet which Punzalan claimed was for personal use.

He fronted Waverley Local Court on Tuesday and his lawyer entered pleas of guilty to three charges including supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, and deal with proceeds of crime.

The agreed facts stated Punzalan recently lost his job for a recruitment agency and was unemployed at the time of the offence.

He was later sentenced on January 20 2021 and received a conditional release order without conviction.