When police began intercepting the phone of a taxi driver they suspected was involved in drug dealing, they discovered a cocaine ring spanning Sydney’s south-west.
But it was not the usual type of syndicate they were used to uncovering.
Gladiss Mahfouz (left) and Fawaz Mahfouz leave Downing Centre District Court after Gladiss was sentenced for drug supply.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Pulling the strings of the operation was Omar Mahfouz, now 33, with the help of his parents, 57-year-old Gladiss Mahfouz and 62-year-old Fawaz Mahfouz.
In early 2019, they supplied cocaine to Abdul Arnaout, a father and taxi driver of two decades who moonlighted as their drug delivery driver.
Downing Centre District Court heard the inner workings of the family-run business as Gladiss Mahfouz was sentenced for her role on Friday.
Judge Timothy Gartelmann said customers messaged or called Arnaout, who would deliver cocaine to them in his taxi.
Abdul Arnaout used his taxi to moonlight as a drug delivery driver.Credit: NSW Police
When he ran out of stock, he would return to the Mahfouz’ Bass Hill home and pick up more cocaine, usually from their letter and electricity boxes.
Arnaout sold each bag containing 0.6 grams of cocaine for $250. He would pocket $50 and return the rest to the Mahfouz family. The court heard Arnaout kept $22,100 of the $110,500 he made.
Gladiss Mahfouz was sentenced for one count of taking part in indictable drug supply relating to 442 bags of cocaine weighing 265 grams from February 12 to March 29, 2019. A jury did not establish beyond reasonable doubt that Mahfouz knew more than 250 grams of cocaine was involved.
She was also sentenced for taking part in the supply of 57 bags of cocaine weighing 36 grams, which Arnaout possessed during his arrest.
Omar Mahfouz was arrested alongside his parents in 2019.Credit: NSW Police
Gartelmann said Mahfouz was not found to have “directed” the enterprise – and she was found not guilty of knowingly directing activities of a criminal group during her District Court trial – but she was “active in it” for more than a month and repeatedly arranged the drugs while keeping track of the money.
“Some planning and organising, if no great sophistication, was involved,” Gartelmann said, noting basic code words such as “coffee” were used during the drug deals.
The court heard Mahfouz and her husband were motivated by financial gain as well as fears for their son’s safety due to his crippling drug debt, and they made no “enrichment” from the enterprise.
Gartelmann said the offences were out of character for Mahfouz, who has no prior convictions. She worked as an accountant intermittently before spending much of her time taking care of family members and has been diagnosed with depression. Her mental condition did not contribute to her offending, Gartelmann found, but it would make prison more onerous.
Gladiss Mahfouz was handed a community-based prison sentence.
“She has endured uncertainty over her fate for almost 5½ years now,” he said.
“This is significant, given the nature and severity of her condition.”
The court heard Mahfouz denied knowing she was involved in regularly supplying drugs throughout her trial and therefore had not shown remorse, but she had been compliant with bail for 4½ years and showed a low risk of reoffending.
She was sentenced to two years and nine months’ imprisonment, to be served in the community via an intensive correction order. She must do 100 hours of community service work and comply with community corrections orders for mental health treatment.
The court heard Mahfouz played a greater role in the cocaine ring than her husband, Faraz, who was earlier sentenced to an intensive correction order of one year and four months for taking part in indictable drug supply. He supported his wife in court on Friday.
But the court heard Mahfouz played a less significant role than her son, Omar, who was jailed for four years and two months with a non-parole period of 2½ years in November 2020 for taking part in indictable drug supply and ongoing drug supply. The court heard he took part in the supply of 236 grams of cocaine over February and March in 2019.
Gladiss Mahfouz’ lawyer, Mahmoud Abbas, said his client was relieved that the matter was now over.
“The proceedings have been lengthy and tedious and now she wishes to move on with her life,” he told this masthead outside court.
In June 2022, Arnaout was sentenced to three years’ jail with a non-parole period of 18 months for taking part in indictable drug supply.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.