John Prokopis charged with importing cocaine, MDMA to Gymea Bay home

Investigators allege a young man imported cocaine and MDMA inside a motorcycle helmet and radio alarm clock to his home in south Sydney.

John Porkopis allegedly imported cocaine and MDMA inside parcels. File picture

A young cleaner has been refused bail after he allegedly imported cocaine and MDMA from France and Netherlands across several months.

John Prokopis, 23, did not apply for release in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday.

A NSW Police spokesman said Sutherland police executed a search warrant at his Gymea Bay home, where he lives with his mother, about 10.30am on Wednesday.

Police allege Prokopis avoided detection by using names and addresses of members of the community.

It is understood Prokopis works for his father’s business as a cleaner and has no prior charges.

John Prokopis was refused bail in Sutherland Local Court.

Police allege in November, Australian Border Force intercepted a parcel sent from France and was addressed to Prokopis’ home.

The package allegedly contained a silver foil resealable bag with 50g of MDMA ecstasy, which was seized.

Police further allege in three days in February, Prokopis was searching around the front of a property in Gymea Bay, which was not his house, before the homeowners found a small package in their mailbox, which they took to Sutherland Police Station believing it to be suspicious. The parcel was from France and allegedly had 64g of cocaine inside.

It is understood Australian Border Force officials intercepted a parcel addressed to Prokopis at a Belrose addressed on May 10 which upon examination had radio alarm clock inside with 51g of cocaine.

It is further understood, Border Force officials also intercepted a DHL parcel addressed to a Yowie Bay home which was described as a motorcycle helmet sent from the Netherlands.

It allegedly contained 250g of MDMA ecstasy.

Police allege Prokopis allegedly purported to be the man the package was addressed to when he inquired with DHL online about the status of the parcel.

He allegedly called the DLH customer service line using his own mobile phone on May 17 asking about the estimate date of delivery of the package before he called again from a Gymea pay phone.

Investigators allegedly seized the package, removed the drugs and reconstructed the parcel.

Prokopis allegedly contacted DHL, via the same pay phone, to request the package be delivered to his Gymea Bay home.

On June 7, plain clothes investigators delivered the package to Prokopis’ home before he took it inside.

It is understood police then conducted a search warrant where they allegedly found the motorcycle helmet entirely destroyed.

Police then searched the house and allegedly found white powder believed to be cocaine worth almost $19,000. Police also allegedly found MDMA powder with an estimated street value of $17,000 before they allegedly found almost $26,000 in cash.

The substances have been sent for forensic examination.

Prokopis was charged with import border-controlled drug, import marketable quantity of border-controlled drug, deal with property proceeds of crime less than $100000 and supply between an indictable and commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.

He did not apply for bail and it was formerly refused, with the case adjourned to Downing Centre Local Court on August 8.