Nathan Notaras granted bail after drug charges

A court has heard a YouTube maths tutor charged with commercial drug supply alleges he was being controlled and directed by his girlfriend and co-accused, with whom he had a “toxic” relationship.

Maths tutor Nathan Notaras has been charged with commercial drug supply.

A YouTube maths tutor accused of supplying meth in Sydney’s suburbs alleges he was being controlled by his girlfriend, with whom he was in a toxic relationship, a court has heard.

Nathan Notaras was described as a “quiet, unassuming person” who was going through a period of depression when he faced court on Wednesday charged with drug supply.

The 30-year-old Sylvania man was charged with commercial drug supply related to 478g of MDMA and knowingly dealing with $116,840.33 in crime proceeds.

He was also charged with drug supply related to 55.84g of methamphetamine he allegedly supplied in Miranda on March 22, as well as 114g of methamphetamine and 34 Alprozolam tablets he allegedly supplied in Woolooware on July 6.

The charges arose as police raided several properties in Sylvania, Woolooware, Parramatta, Fairfield West, Leppington and Lakes Entrance on July 6.

Nathan Notaras, 30.

Investigators allegedly uncovered 6.4kg of methamphetamine, 4.1kg of heroin, 1.5kg of cocaine, 866g of MDMA, more than $200,000 in cash, $18,000 in foreign currency, electronic devices, and an emergency siren.

Notaras’ then-girlfriend Krystle Piggott is behind bars on remand charged with two counts of commercial drug supply, recklessly dealing with crime proceeds, and eight counts of failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.

At Downing Centre Local Court on August 30, barrister Avni Djemal made a second bail application on Notaras’ behalf before Magistrate Daniel Reiss.

Mr Djemal cited a bed in a residential rehab facility for Notaras and an increased surety of $300,000 as reasons why the bail application should be reconsidered in the local court.

“They (the prosecution) need to prove knowledge, custody, and control – and there are no fingerprints, no DNA, nothing linking him to any of (the drugs),” Mr Djemal said.

“He seems to be under (Piggott’s) direction and control, that doesn’t augur in favour of (Notaras being involved in) a joint criminal enterprise.”

Mr Djemal conceded the prosecution had a stronger case for allegations Notaras handled the cash proceeds of crime.

“He’s not an instigator, not a stakeholder, his role in this venture is not going to put him in at the higher echelon,” Mr Djemal told the court.

“There is no evidence (Notaras) has any ability to engage in any drug matters (if released on bail), there is no evidence he’s sourcing things, obtained drugs, or has the connections to do that.”

A police prosecutor argued there was an unacceptable risk of Notaras committing further serious offences, endangering community safety or fleeing the jurisdiction.

“Many times the accused was captured by surveillance (allegedly) undertaking dead drops – my submission is there is a case to be made,” the prosecutor told the court.

“In relation to the dead drops, police obtained or stopped one of the buyers, if I can put it that way, with a large amount of meth – clearly that’s a strong case, it’s not insignificant, it’s a large amount.”

Mr Reiss granted Notaras bail to reside at a residential rehab facility to address his cited drug and mental health issues, to surrender his passport and with his parents to offer a $300,000 security to ensure his attendance at court.

His matter, along with Piggott’s, will return to the same court on September 12.

At his initial bail application, the court heard Notaras ran a tutoring business and had an associated maths tutoring channel on YouTube.