Mohammed Charkawi sentenced after supplying drugs, selling counterfeit goods at Merrylands, South Granville

A Western Sydney university student, with a side hustle as a counterfeit goods rip off merchant and drug supplier, turned to crime to live up to cultural pressures to make a quick buck, a court has heard.

Mohammed Charkawi and Amhed Sadik’s showroom was stuffed with fake brands.

A Western Sydney University student has blamed family pressures after he supplied drugs and participated in a counterfeit luxury goods scam so he could make nearly $250,000 in just 11 weeks.

Mohammed Charkawi, 23, faced sentencing at Parramatta District Court on Wednesday, two years after he was arrested for running the scam from a South Granville “showroom” with Amhed Sadik.

They were caught with $630,000 worth of fake luxury brands – including French and Italian-origin labels Cartier, Dior and Fendi – stored in a Straits Ave showroom between late 2022 and early 2023 when they accepted $220,000 worth of deposits into business accounts.

A total of $16,881 was also deposited into Charkawi’s personal account, while he recklessly dealt with $248,491 deemed to be the proceeds of crime.

Charkawi had an Instagram account with 5000 followers, who read advertisements for designer goods with false trademarks that were then sold online from the showroom.

Mohammed Charkawi and Amhed Sadik have been sentenced for their scam selling fake goods.

The site was under police surveillance in early 2023 and cops discovered a haul of fake clothes, accessories and jewellery from brands also including Valentino, Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

The operation unravelled when they were busted in April 2023.

Charkawi’s drug supply offences were also exposed when his neighbour came home and discovered drugs that he stashed in the garage of the unoccupied property at Bligh St Guildford.

There was 7.7kg of tetrahydrocannabinol and 283.93g of cannabis oil concealed in vapes, glasses and Australia Post parcels.

He used more than 7000 subscribers on Telegram Messenger to advertise 40 parcels of cannabis lollies with some marketed as Nerd Ropes and Air Heads confectionery.

Last October, he pleaded guilty to supplying a prohibited drug larger than a commercial quantity, selling/possessing/importing goods with false trade marks and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of general crime $100,000 or more.

Some of the counterfeit goods in the South Granville warehouse, aka the showroom. Picture: NSW Police

Judge Herbert said marketing drugs to look like lollies made it more “dangerous”.

“There is clearly a level of sophistication used by the offender in his supply business,’’ she said.

The court heard the offender was three years into a physiotherapy degree but was forced to withdraw from his studies after he was arrested. He has since started studying construction management and was planning to open a perfume business.

Defence barrister April Francis said his subsequent actions demonstrated his resilience to retrain and re-employ himself, while noting he did not have criminal tendencies.

The court heard he had suffered anxiety and depression after being exposed to family domestic violence and pressures.

Judge Herbert said Charkawi showed a “high degree of recklessness’’ but had strong family support and his tertiary studies saved him from a jail sentence.

Investigators seized $630,000 worth of fake brands. Picture: NSW Police

As she handed him an intensive correction order of two years and nine months, he looked at his family in relief knowing he could serve the sentence in the community.

He was also ordered to perform 252 hours (or 12 months) of community service.

Before he left the dock to embrace his family, the judge told Charkawi his drug offences could have landed him a life sentence and he could expect to go to prison if he committed more crimes.

“If you commit any offences at that time you can be sent into jail to serve your sentence,’’ she said.

Charkawi was also ordered not to associate with Sadik, who was sentenced to a 12-month community correction order in Parramatta Local Court on October 31.

He pleaded guilty to selling/possessing/importing goods with false trademarks, recklessly dealing with $100,000 or more that was the proceeds of general crime, possessing an unauthorised firearm, not having approved storage as the holder of a Category A or B firearms licence, and possessing goods suspected of being stolen.