Peter Poulakis, 30, received a five year and nine month jail sentence on Friday after previously pleading guilty to anti-money laundering laws, drug importation, drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Poulakis owns three bustling coffee carts around Canberra, telling the court on Friday he ‘didn’t realise’ laundering money was a big deal.
Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson told Poulakis he had proven he could be a successful businessman “through legal means, not illegal means”, the Daily Telegraph reports.
“You must go to jail, that’s inevitable because of the seriousness of the offending,” she said.
“The offences you committed are serious and you know that, the court knows that, and your family and friends, who you are fortunate to have, know that.”
The Greek Australian business owner was involved in a larger drug importing scheme, led by prison inmate Emin Yavuz.
The courts have previously heard the harebrained scheme to import paint tins full of drugs came unstuck when a series of recorded phone calls to Yavuz in prison saw the syndicate members talking in code about their German supplier, “Mr Sock”.
Poulakis’s former partner, Jacinta Greenwood, and friend, Simon Daviestold, both told the court they were in shock when hearing about the charges, saying he was good boss who had loyal employees at his cafes.
Poulakis was motivated by financial greed, and it appeared the syndicate was looking to import larger amounts of the drug, Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson said.
Poulakis will be eligible for parole in August 2023.
