Elvin Kumar convicted after argument with cocaine customer over mask

A dealer’s decision to kick a customer out of his car in the middle of a deal because he wasn’t wearing a mask, has backfired.

A drug dealer’s decision to kick a customer out of his car in the middle of a cocaine deal because he was not wearing a face mask backfired when the argument that ensued brought them to the attention of police.

Elvin Kumar, 31, found himself driving the streets of Bondi Junction in the early hours of July 11, having turned to dealing cocaine after losing his job as a pastry chef because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kumar drove his mother’s silver Volkswagen Tiguan from their home in the south-western Covid hotspot of Rockdale, to Sydney’s eastern suburbs to supply another man with two bags of cocaine.

But Waverley Local Court heard on Tuesday that after the buyer - who Kumar knew only as “Trent” - got into his car and handed over $300 cash, the dealer took a stand and told his customer to put on a face mask.

An argument broke out and with neither man aware that police were watching on, when the customer got out officers pounced.

Court documents state that as part of their patrols of the dial-a-dealer cocaine trend which has spiked during Covid lockdown, officers were sitting at the intersection of Oxford St and Hollywood Ave in Bondi Junction.

Elvin Kumar leaving Waverley Court after facing charges of assaulting a man when he refused to wear a face mask during a drug deal. Picture: Julian Andrews

About 1am they noticed a man and woman getting cash out at an ATM, while the man was also regularly checking his phone - a common sign of a pending drug transaction.

Moments later the man ran down the street and hopped into the car being driven by Kumar.

Barely 15 seconds later the would-be customer got out of Kumar’s vehicle, at which point he was approached by police to who he confirmed he had “attempted to buy cocaine”.

A short time later officers pulled over Kumar’s car and questioned him about the drug deal they believed had taken place and also what he was doing so far away from his Rockdale home at 1am during Covid lockdown.

“He told police that he attended the location to pick up his friend who he only knew as ‘Trent’ as he was having a fight with his girlfriend and wished to provide assistance,” the court documents state.

But the court heard “Trent” was not the right name of the customer.

During a search of Kumar’s car police found $1600 cash and 3.7 grams of cocaine.

Appearing in court on Tuesday he pleaded guilty to a charge of supplying a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug, dealing with the proceeds of crime and failing to comply with COVID-19 public health orders.

The court heard that Kumar had taken up dealing cocaine in a bid to support himself and his family, while awaiting for a loan to be deposited into his bank account.

Kumar is soon set to return to work at the famous Grounds of Alexandria eatery, but was told by Magistrate Ross Hudson that despite his financial hardship drug dealing was not acceptable.

“What you’re doing is engaging in an illegal trade,” Mr Hudson said.

“What that easy money involves is drug supply that has a number of tentacles to it.

“This is a very selfish act it contributes zero to the community. You will have a criminal history and that will be a matter that impacts on you.”

Kumar was convicted and sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order, and fined $750 for breaching the public health order.