Attempted trafficker of butane fronts County Court

A Yarraville crook with a home invasion and firearms offences to his name attempted to traffick 500 litres of butane with an estimated street value of up to $1.2m.

Butane disguised as silicone oil worth up to an estimated $1.2m were imported by a drug syndicate in Melbourne

A hardened crook joined a major criminal operation involved in the importation of 500 litres of butane with an estimated street value of up to $1.2m in order to pay off a substantial drug debt.

Nicholas Georgiou who only months earlier was jailed for five years and three months on home invasion and firearm charges fronted the County Court on Thursday for sentencing on three charges of attempting to traffick butane and another of using a false document.

The 36-year-old was jailed for eight years and seven months on all charges.

Georgiou was on bail when he committed the latest offences.

Between July 14, 2021 and August 19, 2021, the Australian Border Force (ABF) stopped

five consignments at the Cargo Examination Facility in Sydney.

Each consignment was bound for a Victorian address and declared to contain silicone oil.

Australian Border Force stopped five consignments of butane disguised as silicone oil with an street value of up to $1.2m.

The estimated street value of the importations were between $750,000 and $1.2m.

Police determined that Georgiou was involved in the attempted trafficking as the delivery address listed on the consignments were either abandoned or misdirected points of delivery.

Further, the consignees were fictitious, a consignment number was linked to an apartment he was connected to and that his home was close to the intended delivery addresses in Yarraville, Seddon and Albion.

Police investigators confirmed he was using a mobile number from inquiries with Centrelink and his bank.

In February 2022, police received information that Georgiou had been staying at the Quest Apartments in Melbourne’s CBD under the assumed name James Doman.

In May, police were informed Georgiou had recently stayed at the Brady Hotel on Little Latrobe St under the assumed name.

After overstaying his checkout time, Georgiou was asked to leave and barred from returning. Hotel staff found drugs and paraphernalia in the room.

Police found another falsified proof of age card and various identity documents belonging to other persons.

Georgiou was arrested on unrelated matters in June 2022 and declined to answer questions in relation to the consignments.

Judge Helen Syme said Georgiou had a significant prior history, largely on drug-related offences.

Although Georgiou was not involved in planning the importations, she said he was a cog in the enterprise and became involved to pay off a significant drug debt.