Nicholas Levidis to face Supreme Court over alleged Darwin Airport meth haul busted in bag
A 75-year-old allegedly busted with almost three-times the commercial quantity of meth in his backpack at Darwin Airport will soon face the Supreme Court.
Northern Territory
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A 75-year-old alleged drug mule accused of toting a commercial haul of meth in his carry on luggage will soon face the Supreme Court.
Nicholas Levidis appeared in Darwin Local Court on Wednesday via prison video link facing two charges of possessing and supplying a commercial quantity of drugs.
It was alleged the 75-year-old Victorian was busted with 112g of meth – nearly three times the commercial quantity limit – after hopping off a plane at Darwin Airport last year.
On Wednesday his defence lawyer Luke McLaughlin told Judge Elisabeth Armitage that Levidis’s case was ready to head to the Supreme Court.
Mr McLaughlin did not call evidence or make submissions, saying the 75-year-old conceded to the prima facie case.
The court has previously heard allegations the 75-year-old was “caught red handed” with 112g of meth in his backpack at Darwin Airport.
He initially tried to claim he had no idea how the drugs ended up in his carry-on, with his defence lawyer at the time Storm Lawlor saying “There’s no smoking gun — apart from the meth in the bag.”
Last month Judge John Neill also said if the allegations were true, the 75-year-old was “a mule with his eyes open”.
Mr McLaughlin tried to tell the 75-year-old with hearing issues his case was over and that he could return to his cell three times before Levidis left the prison video link.
The Victorian man will head to the Supreme Court in March for a criminal call-over, where he will be assigned a higher court hearing date.
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