Israh Chahine, Alexandra Karanfilovski face drug importation trial
One of two friends charged over their alleged involvement in an attempt to import $2.7m of meth told a court she was misled by a man when she made the fateful decision to accept a package on his behalf.
St George Shire Standard
Don't miss out on the headlines from St George Shire Standard. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A woman charged alongside her best friend over an alleged attempt to import meth worth $2.7 million in long-life ration packs of pasta and tomato sauce from California has said she was completely misled when she agreed to accept a package for a male associate.
Police charged Arncliffe women Israh Chahine and Alexandra Karanfilovski with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug in May 2020.
Their male associates Adam Ayshan and Mohamad Hawchar were also charged with the same offence.
Chahine and Karanfilovski are now midway through a jury trial before Judge Donna Woodburne at Sydney District Court after they pleaded not guilty to the charges on the basis they were misled by Ayshan and Hawchar.
The court heard Chahine alleges she was told the package contained steroids – not methylamphetamine – too late, when the package was already bound for Karanfilovski’s address.
On November 30 a tearful Chahine took to the stand where she was quizzed by defence barrister Ben Barrack.
The court heard Chahine met Ayshan while she was out getting ice cream in Newtown and the pair had an on-again off-again friendship where they met up to eat and frequently Snapchatted each other.
On April 12, Chahine said Ayshan asked if a parcel could be put in her name and picked up because he was unable to sign off on the collection.
“He said he was working and it needs to be signed,” Chahine told the court.
“I said I was working too, but I could ask Alexandra, as she wasn’t working.”
At the time, Chahine was working full time as a traffic controller for three companies, while Karanfilovski was studying at university from home due to the Covid pandemic.
When Mr Barrack queried whether Chahine asked Ayshan what the package was, she said “I can’t recall” but said she did not regard the request as “unusual”.
“(He said) something about online shopping, he said it in a way that was quick,” Chahine told the court.
Weeks after Ayshan’s request to have a package delivered to Karanfilovski’s address, Chahine said he began to hassle about its arrival.
“(I asked) why are you so worried about this parcel,” Chahine told the court, adding she suggested Covid might have delayed it.
“That’s when he told me what it was – he told me it was human growth hormone.”
Chahine told the court she asked Ayshan why he would send it.
“(He said) ‘no-one would expect a girl to use it’,” Chahine said.
“I was angry at him … I was upset, I told him I did not want to do it, I was angry, I reacted really bad.”
Chahine said Ayshan told her he would “fix” her up – which she inferred meant payment, prior to discussions of $2000 or $3000 for accepting the package.
“What was I supposed to do, the package was already on its way,” Chahine told the court.
“I felt I was stuck in a situation I couldn’t get myself out of.”
After a tense start to their relationship when Ayshan asked an unsavoury question about Chahine’s personal life, the pair wound up seeing each other almost daily, the court heard.
Chahine also told the court she would help Ayshan do groceries and run errands because he did not have a licence.
The court reviewed a number of Snapchat video stills showing Chahine dropping off pancakes to Ayshan and Hawchar, delivering Subway and doing groceries at Lakemba Woolworths.
“If he needed anything I would do it for him,” Chahine said.
The trial continues before Judge Woodburne on December 1.
More Coverage
Banned NRL star’s ‘proud’ life-changing $750k move
Suspended NRL star Kyle Flanagan is eyeing off a life-changing move that could net him around $750,000.
Read more
Brewer Shield reigning premiers defeated in major boilover
Gordon brushed aside the pain of an opening round loss to upset the reigning champions in round two of the NSW Women’s U18s Brewer Shield. See how all the action unfolded in our weekend wrap.
Read more