Ashoor Youkhana: Friend of racehorse owner Damion Flower jailed over cocaine haul

A Sydney panel beater who was mates with high profile racing figure Damion Flower has been jailed for his role in an alleged international cocaine smuggling syndicate.

A Sydney panel beater who was mates with high profile racing figure Damion Flower has been jailed for his role in an alleged international cocaine smuggling syndicate.

Ashoor Youkhana, 44, of Abbotsbury, arrived at Downing Centre District Court with family members but left for prison alone on Monday after pleading guilty to possessing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

The court was told Youkhana, Flower — who is a part-owner of champion racehorse Snitzel — and Qantas baggage handler John Mafiti were all arrested after drugs were allegedly seized by authorities in April 2019.

Damion Flower, owner Snitzel. Picture: AAP

Mafiti was rostered to work a morning shift at Sydney airport when he allegedly received a coded message from Flower and collected a duffel bag which had arrived on a flight from South Africa, the court heard.

The court was told Mafiti then drove to a nearby location and allegedly placed the bag onto the back seat of Youkhana’s ute.

Youkhana only drove 90 metres before Australian Federal Police officers swooped and arrested him, allegedly finding at least 19 kilograms of pure cocaine in the duffel bag.

Acting Judge Michael Adams, QC, found Youkahna was merely acting as a courier to an unknown destination when he was arrested and that he had later claimed his involvement was allegedly due to simply helping his mate Flower.

The court was told that although Youkhana didn’t admit to actual knowledge of what was in the duffel bag he was reckless to its contents.

“I do not think the recklessness in this context is less culpable than actual knowledge,” Acting Judge Adams said.

“Even if it were the case, as claimed by the offender, that he was just doing a friend a favour - this also does not reduce his moral or criminal culpability to any significant degree.”

Youkhana was born in Iraq where his father had worked for the UN before they relocated to Australia for a better life in the early 1990s.

He completed a four-year panel beating apprenticeship and had founded a successful business which he had now lost due to his charge, the court heard.

Acting Judge Adams found his offending was a “single aberration which is unlikely to be repeated” and sentenced him to four years jail with a non-parole period of two years and six months.

The judge accepted Youkhana‘s imprisonment will be difficult for him because he will be cut off from his wife and young children.

Flower, who is in custody, wants to fight multiple charges he is facing and will head to trial later this month.

Mafiti is also in custody and yet to enter pleas.