Cocaine addict Melton South dad Lawrence Bartolo pleads guilty to trafficking meth

A coke-addicted Melton South father-of-four flushed a “substance” down the sink just as cops raided his home for dealing meth.

Lawrence Bartolo pleaded guilty to trafficking meth. Facebook.

A Melbourne dad who slung meth to fund his degenerate coke habit was caught with a swag of cash and drugs hidden on a secret pantry shelf.

Lawrence Bartolo, 39 was sentenced in the County Court on Monday to time served – 65 days – after pleading guilty to trafficking meth.

Bartolo, who also pleaded guilty to negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime, was nabbed at his Melton South home with various drugs and cash on October 13, 2020.

Police raided the home and discovered 285 grams of meth, $5590, scales, deal bags and a money-counter hidden behind a false back in the kitchen walk-in pantry.

Cops also seized a further $36,720 and an Apple iPhone stashed in a silver brief case in the garage.

Police searched the rest of the house and seized more meth, cocaine, Xanax and valium hidden in the kitchen and laundry.

Investigators analysed CCTV footage taken from Bartolo’s home which revealed suspected deals at the property.

A male entered the garage and handed Bartolo a bag which contained an estimated “$30,000 to $50,000” in exchange for three deal bags containing a “white substance” about 930pm on October 9.

Police also viewed two women exchange cash for a white substance in separate transactions which occurred earlier on the same day.

Another man also exchanged $3000 for a “black toolbox” during another transaction on the same day.

The court heard Bartolo went to his garage when police arrived on the morning of the raid and retrieved items from a cupboard.

Bartolo, a father of four, removed a substance from a plastic bag and flushed it into a sink, the court was told.

Police also analysed Bartolo’s phone which contained conversations related to drug trafficking.

The messages transmitted to Bartolo included:

“Brother tell him I gave my word there getting it either that or we don’t male (sic) 1$ off the kg to Bentley because they have his green teas and thet have been told 240$”, “Bro either he gives us a kg today like we discussed or I’ll tell the Asians we grab it and his loosing the 10k bro”, “Cuz I put away over 100k for use in 2 weeks” and “It’s probably because he slept in he normally hands us 2kgs on tick”.

The court heard Bartolo worked as a wharf worker where he fell in with the wrong crowd and developed a cocaine addiction.

The defence submitted Bartolo sold drugs to fund his cocaine habit.

Bartolo has since commenced his own business and met a new partner.

Bartolo, who also pleaded guilty to cocaine possession, was handed a two-year community correction order.

[e-mail]