Nathan Bertucci jailed for seven years after $150m, 200kg ice importation

A father of two who imported 200kg of ice — worth about $150 million — into Australia had multiple fake identities and 32 mobile phones. Read why his plot to avoid scrutiny failed.

Nathan Bertucci, 35, imported the meth into Melbourne from Canada in April 2019 but his plot to avoid scrutiny from an illicit air cargo failed. Picture: Facebook

A father of two who imported 200kg of ice — worth about $150 million — into Australia had multiple fake identities and tried to “piggyback” a delivery from a legitimate whitegoods company.

Nathan Bertucci, 35, imported the meth into Melbourne from Canada in April 2019 but his plot to avoid scrutiny from an illicit air cargo failed.

He has been jailed for seven years with a non-parole period of four years and six months.

Australian Border Force officers examined the consignment when it arrived in Melbourne and found black plastic-wrapped cardboard boxes contained no whitegoods, only bags of high-purity ice.

A subsequent police raid at his Woongarrah home on the Central Coast uncovered 32 mobile phones — three of which were encrypted, four laptops and $141,000 in cash.

A money counting machine was also seized, as well as Bertucci’s fake identities.

Bertucci imported $150 million worth of ice into Australia from Canada in 2019.

Bertucci created fake identities to communicate with a logistics company and paid for logistics related to the drug package.

He appeared via audiovisual link at Coffs Harbour District Court on Friday to be sentenced. He has been in jail since his arrest.

The court heard Bertucci used an alias to lease a “safe house” property in Carlingford where police seized $1.5m following raids.

Police state he “piggybacked” off a legitimate Melbourne-based whitegoods company in attempting to avoid law enforcement catching on to the illegal delivery.

Bertucci had created fake aliases using email accounts and names to organise and check up on the ice deliveries.

The court heard evidence in a previous bail hearing that the email address of the ‘employee’ was accessed off Bertucci’s home Wi-Fi on one occasion and another man, who is now dead, would make the payments to the logistics company.

AFP Southern Commander Todd Hunter, at the time of the arrest, said the seizure had stopped a potential two million street deals.

“Methamphetamine causes immense harm to users and the wider community — it contributes to violence, psychological damage and other crimes,” he said.

A portion of the drugs police seized. Picture: AFP

Judge Jonathan Priestley told the court Bertucci had been given orders from someone higher up in the drug syndicate.

“His background is largely prosocial – he seems dedicated to family and caring for others,” he said.

Judge Priestly said Bertucci’s “vulnerability to substance abuse” was a large factor in his offending because of anxiety relating to financial stresses.

$1.5 million cash seized from a “safe house” Bertucci purchased with a fake alias. Picture: AFP

The court considered the lengthy period of offending, the frequency and the amount of money involved.

Bertucci will be eligible to apply for parole on May 24, 2026.

Detective Superintendent Jacqueline Curran, from Victoria Police, described the seizure as a significant victory.

“Drugs such as ice continue to be a key driver for a number of serious and at times, life-altering crimes within the Victorian community, including drug driving, drug-fuelled assaults, and drug-fuelled family violence,” Supt Curran said in 2020.

“Sadly, we know ice use is prevalent within our community, especially throughout regional Victoria, which remains a significant concern for police.”

Originally published as Nathan Bertucci jailed for seven years after $150m, 200kg ice importation