An aspiring western Sydney nurse has left court with a criminal record after she acted as a driver for her alleged drug-dealing friend on a MDMA run around the eastern suburbs.
Pamela Tsolakki, 22, who works casually as a beautician, was sentenced over two counts of knowingly taking part in drug supply from October 11 last year, which her lawyer said was a one-off.
In the car Tsolakki was driving, police found steroids and MDMA, and an alleged plethora of drugs and cash in her passenger and co-accused’s underwear.
The Condell Park woman was also charged with being in possession of $3650 in proceeds of crime – the amount of cash found in the car.
Lawyer Zemarai Khatiz told the court Tsolakki was “hanging around with the wrong crowd” at the time and has “made changes in her life” since then.
“(She has) disassociated from persons using drugs … (and is) continuing her nursing degree,” Mr Khatiz added.
At around 11pm on the night she was caught, Tsolakki was behind the wheel of a grey Suzuki Swift, with her co-accused in the passenger seat.
Tsolakki’s iPhone was on the dash with a maps app open, the court heard.
Police became suspicious of a potential drug deal when a man ran out of Bondi’s Royal Hotel and hopped in the back of the car, which was parked across the road.
Thirty seconds later, he jumped back out and was apprehended by police walking back towards the hotel, just after the Suzuki drove off.
On him, they found one bag of cocaine.
Police soon stopped the car and asked the pair what they had been doing.
Tsolakki told police she was “dropping off my friend’s wallet that he left in the car.”
Police asked the pair if there was anything they wanted to disclose and the co-accused allegedly told police “I have steroids in the car. They’re mine. I take them.”
When asked if there were any other drugs, he allegedly said “I have more down my pants” and they were both arrested.
Her co-accused was searched and $2800 in $50 notes was allegedly located in his underwear, as well as a Nokia “burner” phone, and a container of “lollies” which contained a bag of eight MDMA capsules, a bag of crystalline MDMA and two resealable bags of cocaine.
Nothing was found on Tsolakki.
In the car, police found Tsolakki’s wallet in the driver-side door with $600 cash in it and the co-accused’s wallet on the passenger-side door with $250 cash.
In a Louis Vuitton bag on the passenger side footwall, police found two vials of steroids, two resealable plastic bags with MDMA capsules, and two bags of crystalline MDMA.
Police allege Tsolakki had full knowledge of he co-accused’s involvement in the supply of prohibited drugs, according to the police facts.
Police also found cannabis in the front passenger side door handle, an Apple iPhone in the glove box and one allegedly in her co-accused’s pants, according to the police fact sheet.
After Mr Khatiz asked for a non-conviction for her “minimal role” in the operation, Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said “to suggest she was a minor player would be “somewhat fanciful.”
“You drove him around, helped him be where he needed to be so he could supply the drugs,” she said.
“(You were) participating in dissemination of drugs in the community,” she continued.
Magistrate Milledge sentenced Tsolakki to a 12-month and 18-month Conditional Corrections Order for the two drug supply charges.
She will also need to pay a $1000 fine.
Source: The Daily Telegraph.
