The 'warehouse man' in a drug supply operation that fed cocaine to the streets of Wollongong turned to supplying illicit drugs as he was captured by the lifestyle it offered, a Wollongong court has heard.
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Cavit Alpertonga, 33, was sentenced in Wollongong District Court on Wednesday, October 4 for his role in a cocaine supply network that involved him and his cousin.
Up until his arrest in February 2022, Alpertonga was living a life well beyond his means as a concrete renderer.
Alpertonga used the cash from his cocaine dealings to buy products, fund his wedding as well as sustain his own cocaine addiction.
Judge Andrew Haesler said that Alpertonga revealed to a psychologist who assessed him prior to his sentencing that he saw the lifestyle associated with drug dealing as "cool".
This all unravelled as police began investigating Alpertonga and his cousin Adulkerim Alpertunga in 2021 as Strike Force Mote was established to investigate drug supply in the Illawarra.
Officers watched as Alpertonga went about his trade, including moving money and drugs between cars and a storage unit in Warrawong.
Court documents state that police followed the pair as they shifted 140 grams of cocaine in January that year as well as large amounts of cash.
After police raided the storage unit, Alpertonga was recorded on a hidden listening device spiralling, telling his cousin "It's gone ... my money ... it was right there. F---ing hell bro".
Alpertonga was arrested in Berkeley in February and police raided his Warrawong address, searching his home and finding cash and equipment used to move drugs.
Alpertonga was charged with knowingly taking part in the supply of illegal drugs resulting from the 140 grams of cocaine police observed and possessing the property proceeds of crime, taking account of the $79,650 in cash.
Judge Haesler said while Alpertonga had no role in the decision making behind the criminal cartel, without his role in storing and distributing the money and drugs criminal drug supply networks would "collapse".
Accepting that there was "some organisation" while noting the operation was not "particularly sophisticated", Judge Haesler said Alpertonga's compliance with strict bail conditions while awaiting sentence and limiting criminal history entitled him to leniency, despite the "significant" quantity of drugs and cash police attributed to him.
Judge Haesler imposed an aggregate jail sentence of two years and three months, to be served in the community under the supervision of community corrections. Alpertonga will have to complete 250 hours of community service and not associate with his cousin.
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