Drug dealer Omar El-Nachar trades meth racket for Bachelor of Business at CDU from behind bars

A Darwin drug dealer who traded “conducting a business” of supplying meth for studying a Bachelor of Business will have at least three years and 11 months to focus on his studies.

Omar El-Nachar pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court in Darwin to supplying almost $500,000 worth of meth and possessing four ounces of cocaine.

A Darwin drug dealer who traded “conducting a business of supplying methamphetamine” for studying a Bachelor of Business will have at least three years and 11 months in jail to focus on his studies.

Omar El-Nachar pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to supplying almost $500,000 worth of meth and possessing 113g of cocaine when he was busted by police in July.

The court heard El-Nachar was “an active, willing participant in a commercial enterprise with links to interstate drugs suppliers”.

“You were not the head of this enterprise and it appears that those at the top of this enterprise lived in New South Wales,” Justice John Burns said.

“You were, nevertheless, a trusted lieutenant who was either at the top of the Northern Territory part of this operation or very close to it.

“I take into account that significant quantities of methamphetamine were supplied by you to dealers below you on credit, which is indicative of the commercial nature of the enterprise.”

Justice Burns said El-Nachar’s barrister Jon Tippett KC had described him as “a street level dealer, operating under the auspices of more senior persons in the distribution hierarchy”.

“(But) I do not accept that to be an accurate description of the role that you played in this enterprise,” he said.

The court rejected a submission from defence barrister Jon Tippett KC that El-Nachar was only a ‘street level dealer’. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“You were a person who sourced methamphetamine in large quantities from interstate and then sold to other suppliers for them to on-sell.

“You were conducting a business of supplying methamphetamine in large quantities. You clearly anticipated making large profits.”

Justice Burns said El-Nachar had grown up in western Sydney and once “considered a potential future career in law enforcement” before being exposed to drug abuse by his older cousins, “who would be considered career criminals”.

He said despite his “limited work history” outside the drug trade, El-Nachar had expressed a desire to work upon his release and “engaged in multiple employment roles in custody”.

“You have provided assistance to other inmates with low literacy and numeracy skills,” he said.

“You have commenced a Bachelor of Business course at Charles Darwin University and you report having done well academically in that course to this stage.”

But in jailing El-Nachar for seven years and six months, Justice Burns said his prospects for rehabilitation were limited by his “lengthy criminal history”.

“While you clearly have an ability to contribute to the community, as demonstrated by your recent studies, your history and the nature of the present offending does not allow me to assess your prospects for rehabilitation at the present time as any better than poor,” he said.

El-Nachar will be eligible for parole in 2027.