Duncan Peck fronts court on charges of heroin trafficking

A desperate Melbourne man who owed money to a couple that ran a heroin trafficking empire out of a St Kilda cafe helped the duo sell the drug to pay off his debt.

Duncan Peck has avoided prison for his role in the attempted importation and trafficking of heroin.

A Melbourne plumber up to his neck in debt to a couple who ran a heroin trafficking empire from their cafe started dealing drugs to wipe his slate clean, a court has heard.

Duncan Peck was involved in the attempted importation of heroin and acted as the “middleman” in trafficking smack for St Kilda cafe owner Christopher Noti and his girlfriend Veronica Sabo in 2021.

Peck pleaded guilty to various drug charges and was sentenced in the County Court on Friday to three years’ imprisonment but was released on a recognizance release order for five years.

He was also sentenced to a two-year community corrections order.

Judge Liz Gaynor said unique, complex and intertwining factors such as a rough childhood combined with good rehabilitation prospects, family support and a stable employment warranted a non-custodial sentence.

Noti has admitted his role in the offending and will front the County Court in December for further plea while Sabo was sentenced last December to an 18-month community corrections order.

Veronica Sabo ran a heroin trafficking empire from a St Kilda cafe owned by her boyfriend Christopher Noti.

Peck was involved in the attempted importation of 1.8kg of heroin concealed in a DJ smoke machine that arrived into Melbourne from the US by air on July 31, 2021.

He was also involved in another consignment of cocaine labelled as ‘Children’s Board Game’ and bound for a Balaclava property.

Australian customs initially cleared the consignment but investigators who intercepted the cocaine asked it be sent back to FedEx.

Sabo and Peck were caught texting about the consignment after it was seized on September 28, 2021.

The court heard that Sabo’s modus operandi was to leave Peck deal bags of heroin in a drawer at a St Kilda property and Peck would collect the drug.

Covert cops caught the drug ring players in action via surveillance and phone intercepts during

Joint Organised Crime Task Force investigation ‘Operation Rhyolite’ in 2021.

The Peck deals included a period where more than $4000 of smack was sold between August 24 and August 31.

Peck’s lawyer Carly Marcs said he owed a drug debt to Noti and Sabo and that his involvement went no further than “arranging packets to be dropped off” so he could pay off his debt.

“He was in the grip of addiction, the debt was growing and he was under pressure from them so he helped them,” Ms Marcs said.

Christopher Noti is awaiting sentence for his role in running a heroin empire from his St Kilda cafe.

Police arrested Sabo, Noti and Peck on December 7, 2021.

Investigators raided Peck’s Bentleigh East home, Sabo’s St Kilda unit and Noti’s St Kilda cafe and seized the drugs.