Nicholas Levidis bail bid after alleged commercial meth bust at Darwin Airport
An alleged meth-mover has denied putting drugs in carry-on luggage for a flight to Darwin. ‘There’s no smoking gun — apart from the meth in the bag’
Police & Courts
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A Melbourne traveller allegedly busted red-handed with a backpack stuffed with meth claims he had no idea how the drugs ended up in his carry-on luggage.
Nicholas Levidis appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Tuesday offering a $10,000 cash bond to secure his bail release.
The 75-year-old was charged with possessing and supplying a commercial quantity of methamphetamine after allegedly being busted at Darwin Airport.
His defence lawyer Storm Lawlor said it was conceded the drugs were in Levidis’s backpack but his client “strenuously denied” the charges.
“The bag went through screens in Melbourne and Sydney – nothing came up,” Mr Lawlor said.
“He has no idea how the drugs got in his bag.
“As to how it got there I can’t speculate.
“There’s no smoking gun — apart from the meth in the bag.”
Mr Lawlor said Levidis travelled to Darwin to “scout” for properties in case he and his wife decided to move north but was picked up by police at the airport.
He said prison conditions were a significant concern for his older client, who only had 20 per cent hearing left in one ear.
Mr Lawlor said the hearing-impaired man was assaulted three weeks ago while mopping because another inmate thought the 75-year-old was ignoring him.
The court also heard Levidis had a long criminal history, including 14 relevant charges that included meth-related offending.
His wife of 20 years told the court she was able to provide a hefty cash bond to secure her husband’s release to Melbourne.
As part of the bail proposal, Levidis would also surrender his passport and to check in twice a week at the Epping Police Station.
However, Judge John Neill flatly rejected his bail application given the Melbourne man’s flight risk in the face of significant charges.
“(There was) $10,000 cash in way of surety, but that’s a drop in the bucket in terms of the value of the methamphetamine found in his possession,” Mr Neill said
Levidis will return to Darwin Local Court on January 11, where his case is expected to be referred to the Supreme Court.
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