Stevar Hana: Liverpool Ray White real estate worker sentenced for cocaine supply

A real estate worker, who spent half of his weekly wage punting on a sports betting platform, became embroiled in a dial-a-dealer cocaine operation to claw back some “easy money”

A real estate worker who spent up to $400 a week on online gambling platform Sportsbet became embroiled in a dial-a-dealer operation in a desperate attempt to make back his losses, a court has heard.

Instead he faced judgment at court as a magistrate admonished him for thinking taking part in criminal activities would deliver him the “easy money” he claimed he desperately needed.

Stevar Hana, 21, of Liverpool, was sentenced to a conditional release order without conviction for wsupplying cocaine and dealing with the proceeds of a crime on Wednesday at Waverley Local Court.

According to facts tendered to court about 11pm on May 21, police suspected illegal drug activity when two women standing near an ATM were constantly messaging and watching vehicles passing by.

Hana leaving Waverley Court.

The women approached the window of a blue Mazda occupied by Hanna and a male associate, then quickly left, leading police to become convinced they had been supplied with illegal drugs.

When police stopped the women they admitted they had bought two bags of what they believed was cocaine from Hana and the other man.

The facts state the two women also showed police text messages which showed them arranging the drug deal.

At this point police stopped the car and searched Hana and his accomplice, finding a wallet with Hana’s ID in it with $2250 cash inside.

After noticing a side panel near the driver’s seat was loose, police called in a police drug dog, who located a black sock with four clear bags of cocaine inside, the facts state.

Waverley Local Court.

Hana told police the cocaine was for personal use, did not know how it ended up in the console of his car and the cash was not from drug deals but had been withdrawn after he was paid by his employer.

Hana’s lawyer told the court the Ray White employee’s obsession with online gambling had led him to spend up to half his weekly paycheck making bets using online gambling services.

Unable to explain to his parents where the money was going, Hana turned to the drug trade.

However Hana, ashamed by his actions, was “motivated to live a law-abiding life moving forward”.

Waverley Local Court.

Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said the Liverpool man was yet another example of the “impulsive” behaviour of people who come before court having believed dealing drugs was a “quick and easy” way to make fast money.

However, she was convinced there had been an “enormous awakening” on the part of Hana following his arrest.

Magistrate Milledge did not convict Hana and sentenced him to an 18-month conditional release order.