Andrew Mestrinaro: Gilston meth trafficker who flogged stolen police ballistic vests avoids jail

A drug trafficking father-of-two who was busted in possession of an extraordinary amount of contraband has learnt his fate after pleading guilty in the Supreme Court to 17 offences. Find out how he came unstuck.

Gilston man Andrew Allan Mestrinaro.

A Gold Coast man who trafficked in methamphetamine and pharmaceuticals also received a cache of ballistic vests stolen from police, which he then sold or attempted to sell, his sentencing hearing has heard.

Gilston man Andrew Allan Mestrinaro, who was 36 at the time of the offending, appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court on January 29, having previously pleaded guilty to 17 charges.

They included trafficking in dangerous drugs, possessing a dangerous drug in excess of 2g, unlawful possession of a category R weapon, and seven counts of unlawful supply of a category E weapon.

Mestrinaro was arrested following a search warrant at his residence on May 18, 2023, the court heard.

Sixteen days prior, on May 2, a 39-year-old had been arrested in connection to the theft of 17 ballistic vests (category E weapons) from a truck at a Rocklea depot.

Analysis of that man’s phone revealed communications between himself and Mestrinaro.

Australian Defence Apparel ballistic vest, of a similar type to those Mestrinaro was advertising for sale. Picture: Supplied

The search warrant uncovered a cornucopia of contraband: 3.26g pure weight of meth, $6075 cash, a small quantity of heroin, a sildenafil tablet, digital scales and clipseal bags, a used ice pipe, boxes of .22 calibre bullets, a silencer firearm attachment, several forged Queensland drivers licences, tools and items used to make the forged identity documents, and a glass vial of liquid steroid.

Analysis of Mestrinaro’s phone revealed he had been trafficking in meth and pharmaceuticals for about five weeks prior to his arrest – at one point offering to obtain and on-sell a kilogram of meth for $137,000 – and had also made concerted efforts to sell the stolen ballistic vests, some of which he did in fact sell.

Mestrinaro was on parole at the time of his arrest – he had been convicted for drug offending each year from 2020–2023 inclusive – and served 113 days of that previous sentence before being released on bail.

In weighing up whether to impose a new term of actual imprisonment, the court was told Mestrinaro had “taken considerable steps” to rehabilitate and turn his life around after his release from jail in September 2023.

He had kicked his heroin habit after 12 months with Gold Coast Health’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Service, engaged with psychology and other support services, had full-time care of his 10-year-old daughter and shared custody of his eight-year-old son, entered into a new and stable relationship, and was employed installing airconditioners and refrigeration exhaust systems.

Justice Frances Williams sentenced Mestrinaro to four years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for an operational period of five years, and placed him on two years’ probation.

Originally published as Andrew Mestrinaro: Gilston meth trafficker who flogged stolen police ballistic vests avoids jail