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Fatih Adalis jailed for import of 372kg of MDMA inside meat mincers

A judge has pointed to the “debilitating” cocaine habit of a western Sydney meat merchant as the motivation for him to take part in an international drug import that hid 372kg of MDMA inside industrial mincers.

Three men were arrested and MDMA seized following a joint Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) operation in Sydney. Picture: AFP.
Three men were arrested and MDMA seized following a joint Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) operation in Sydney. Picture: AFP.

A Guildford man who pleaded guilty to importing more than 350kg of MDMA inside industrial meat mincers has been sentenced to prison.

At Nowra District Court on Wednesday, Fatih Adalis, 29, was handed a nine-year sentence with a non-parole period of four years, six months, for importing a commercial quantity border controlled drug.

The former Granville South High School student had his sentence backdated to when police swooped on him and two co-accused in Clyde on October 6, 2018.

According to agreed facts tendered to the court, on September 28, 2018, Australian Border Force officers observed an anomaly within four industrial sized mincers that had arrived from Istanbul, Turkey.

Drugs were packaged inside four industrial meat mincers that were shipped from Turkey. Picture: AFP
Drugs were packaged inside four industrial meat mincers that were shipped from Turkey. Picture: AFP

Packaged alongside the mincers were detergents, air fresheners and chocolate biscuits destined for the Gima Supermarket at Auburn.

An initial examination revealed approximately 492kg of ecstasy inside the mincers.

Forensic testing later revealed the amount was 371.91kg. The mincers were hollow and did not contain an engine or mechanisms for powering them.

Australia Federal Police removed the drugs from the mincers, replacing the packages in two of the four mincers.

On February 25, 2020, Adalis, the former secretary and director of Kasap Pty Ltd, was involved in arranging transport of the mincers inside a shipping container to Gima Supermarket.

He was then involved in transporting the mincers from the supermarket and unloading them into overnight storage at a Clyde factory on October 5, 2018.

Adalis then disarmed CCTV at the factory and told others not involved in the crime to ensure nobody attend the factory the following day.

The AFP later raided the factory, arresting two men inside, and found Adalis at another address.

During the hearing Judge Dina Yehia said Adalis was not involved in “any planning or organisation in respect of the sourcing, pricing and packaging of the border control drugs".

Packages found inside the mincers contained MDMA. Picture: AFP
Packages found inside the mincers contained MDMA. Picture: AFP

Although she found he “engaged in the criminal conduct” for a financial reward which was an aggravating factor.

“He was a trusted participant in the offence having regard to the fact that he took possession of the machines containing the drugs and transported them to the factory at Clyde. He made available the premises where the machines would be accessed and the drugs unpacked,” she said during her judgment.

“The offender also took steps, by way of disabling the CCTV camera and ensuring that no one attended the factory during the unpacking process, to reduce the risk of detection.

“His role was more serious than a mere courier, simply responsible for conveying the border control drugs from one point to another.”

Judge Yehia also outlined that there was no evidence that he had a connection to the two co-accused.

The mincers and drugs were delivered inside a shipping container to Gima Supermarket.
The mincers and drugs were delivered inside a shipping container to Gima Supermarket.

“However, although a trusted participant, the evidence does not establish that he was responsible for or had any decision making role to play in determining the quantity or pricing of the drugs,” she said.

“The evidence does not establish that he was responsible for making the arrangements for the unpacking crew to attend the factory.”

Judge Yehia also found evidence of Adalis’ “debilitating” cocaine habit, particularly in the six months leading up to his arrest, had fuelled his choice to engage in importing the drugs.

“His cocaine use does not excuse his behaviour and in no way mitigates the sentence. It does however place his offending conduct in context in that I am satisfied that he engaged in the enterprise to obtain money to fund his addiction.”

The judge accepted that Adalis had shown some remorse and that he was a medium to low risk of reoffending.

“I am prepared to find that he has good prospects of rehabilitation having regard to the fact that he does have the support of his family and is a person who comes before the court with prior good character.

“His prospects of rehabilitation will be enhanced by a lengthy period of supervision and counselling in the community upon his release,” judge Yehia said.

Adalis will be eligible for parole on April 6, 2023.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/parramatta/fatih-adalis-jailed-for-import-of-372kg-of-mdma-inside-meat-mincers/news-story/3a9acfdbf8bbaf733b4def31db3358d7