Alleged drug importer Jose Ali accused of collecting cocaine from post office near Harrington Park

A western Sydney man has been charged with importing cocaine after he allegedly picked up an international parcel from a post office.

A Merrylands man has been charged with importing nearly 500g of cocaine after he picked up an international parcel that police were tracking from a post office.

Jose Ali, 28, appeared in Picton Court via audiovisual link on Wednesday after being charged with intentionally importation of prohibited tier one goods, possession of drugs, having custody of unlawfully obtained goods, and possession and attempted possession of a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

Police allege Mr Ali was involved in importing tins packed with 489.9g of cocaine into Australia.

The court heard the shipment arrived at a Harrington Park house on February 3. It is understood it was dispatched to a nearby post office and had been scanned and registered as illegal drugs.

The court heard the cocaine was taken out of the tins and repackaged for a “controlled delivery”.

Police allege Mr Ali attended the house to collect the package on the afternoon of February 18, only to find a delivery slip notifying him that it was being held at the post office.

The court heard the father-of-one then went to the Australia Post office and showed staff the delivery slip before providing his personal details and signing for the parcel.

The court heard Mr Ali said he was picking up the parcel for the occupant of the house where it had been delivered and he did not know what was inside.

Police approached Mr Ali about the package and allegedly found he had $1385 in cash with in. The court heard he was “evasive” about a Samsung mobile phone allegedly discovered in the centre console of his car.

His lawyer Ian Lloyd said Mr Ali was just an “unwitting stooge” used to collect the parcel.

“If he knew there were drugs secreted in the parcel, he would be foolish indeed to use his genuine identification documents,” he said.

Jose Ali appeared via AVL in Picton Court. Picture: Adelaide Lang

Mr Lloyd said the evidence was largely circumstantial and the prosecution case was not persuasive.

“There is no suggestion of my client being seen to track this package. There’s no evidence of him contacting the shipping company,” he said.

“We say (the prosecution) can’t prove beyond reasonable doubt that he was anything but an innocent patsy.”

However, the prosecution argued Mr Ali had exerted “obvious efforts” to obtain the package.

“Given the extent of effort he’s gone through to obtain the drugs, he knew what was in the package,” she said.

“He was nervous because he knew what was in the package.”

The court heard Mr Ali has a conviction for assault in 2018 and a Queensland driver’s licence. The prosecution deemed him a flight risk and opposed his bail application.

Magistrate Daniel Covington agreed and declined to grant bail.

Mr Ali will return to Picton Court on April 20.