VAFA footballer Onur Akbas jailed for trafficking drugs after Quest on William drug bust

A fallen amateur footy star is sidelined for another few seasons after he ran a one-stop drug “lolly shop” at a city hotel.

Onur Akbas pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Facebook.

A fallen VAFA star who slung hard drugs including coke, MDMA, meth and GHB after he couldn’t play football because of the pandemic has been jailed.

Onur Akbas, 27, was sentenced in the County Court on Monday to a minimum three-year jail term after pleading guilty to charges including trafficking a commercial quantity of 1,4 butanediol.

Akbas, of Glenroy, was pinged after a Quest on William’s housekeeper discovered drugs in the dealer’s apartment on May 19 last year.

Quest management contacted Akbas to say he’d been bounced from his apartment but could return the following day to collect his belongings.

Hotel staff also discovered drug paraphernalia in Akbas’s alleged co-accused’s apartment, the court was told.

Quest CCTV captured Akbas and the co-accused “coming and going” from the hotel and “handling” bute.

Police then raided Akbas’s room where they seized more than 3kg of bute, meth, cannabis, MDMA, a tick book, digital scales, an ice pipe and a tablet.

Investigators found meth, more drugs, cash and a key to a hire car on Akbas after arresting him at Quest on May 20 last year.

Police searched Akbas’ hire car and discovered multiple sets of scales, needles, a vacuum sealer and empty deal bags.

Investigators analysed Akbas’ phone and discovered photos and messages relating to drug trafficking.

Akbas received a text message from ‘Filicity’ asking if he had any “juice” (bute).

The prolific dealer told Filicity the bute — a GHB mirror drug — was “600 a litre” and “I got 2 litres left”.

Akbas also texted his co-accused after Quest staff sprung the drug racket.

“Bro where are you … this is urgent … bro everything is gone … the hotel confiscated

everything,” Akbas said.

The pair also allegedly fought over ownership of drugs and who had got in the most trouble, the court was told.

A photo which depicted Akbas’ co-accused allegedly peddling drugs at the hotel was also found on his phone, the court was told.

Police established Akbas possessed and trafficked 7.3kg of bute, 130gm of MDMA, cocaine, cannabis, Xanax, ketamine and almost 300g of meth between December 2019 and May last year.

Prosecutor Katherine Farrell submitted Akbas and the co-accused ran separate drug operations.

“It wasn’t as if either of them worked for the other,” Ms Farrell said.

“They were two independent contractors if you want to call it that way,” Judge Geoff Chettle said during last week’s plea hearing.

Judge Chettle also queried exactly what substances Akbas possessed and peddled.

“Bute … is an industrial solvent …,” Judge Chettle said.

“Ketamine is horse tranquilliser this (bute) is an industrial cleaner, human beings will ingest any rubbish.”

The court heard Akbas was living at his parents’ Glenroy home at the time of the offending.

Akbas held down a senior office position at a Rowville logistics company but his drug use skyrocketed in early-2020, the court was told.

James Portelli, for Akbas, submitted his client was a regular gym user who most recently played football for VAFA club Westbourne Grammarians Football Club.

Akbas, who previously played for several Essendon District Football League clubs, stopped playing footy and couldn’t go to the gym because of the pandemic.

Mr Portelli said Akbas enjoyed a “good life” which was “essentially up-ended” by the pandemic.

“There is evidence of remorse,” Mr Portelli said.

“His first entry into custody in the criminal world is in the big leagues which is regrettable for him.”

Mr Portelli also submitted it was “common” for “street-level” drug dealers to peddle a variety of illicit goods.

“He’s a bit of a one-stop lolly shop at this point of time isn’t he,” Judge Chettle said.

Prosecutor Farrell told the court a plea offer had been made to Akbas’ co-accused but the matter, as of Monday’s plea hearing, was still heading to trial.

“So that’s something I’ve got to look forward to,” Judge Chettle said.

Akbas, who also pleaded guilty to trafficking MDMA, cocaine, cannabis, meth, ketamine and Xanax, was jailed for a maximum four years.

paul.shapiro@news, com.au