ENDEAVOUR HILLS HALLAM DOVETON
/DandenongStarJournal
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Monday, 23 April, 2018
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We will remember them Kayla Patrick from the Australian Navy Cadets Doveton was among dozens to mark Anzac Day early at Endeavour Hills. See pages 2, 10 and 23 for more on Anzac Day. 178753 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Ice, cash and guns By Cam Lucadou-Wells A 50-year-old Endeavour Hills man has been jailed after police seized a large amount of ice, more than $400,000 cash, a stolen motorbike and firearms from his home. John Koutsogiannakis pleaded guilty to trafficking ice, illegally possessing firearms as well as proceeds of crime charges at the Victorian County Court. During a police raid of his home on 9 November 2015, officers seized 152 grams of meth - more than 50 per cent above the commercial trafficking threshold. It was found in 31 zip-lock bags in a bedroom safe and in a box along with traffickinglike paraphernalia such as scales, an array of
mobile phones and a notebook of names and figures. Meth had also been flushed down the master bedroom's en suite toilet, Judge Paul Lacava said during sentencing on 13 April. The former trucking manager was an ice addict at the time but the bulk of the seized drug was for trafficking purposes, the judge said. Police also found 211 grams of the recreational drug 1,4-butanediol and $400,199.45 cash in various locations - including $1214.45 in coins. Koutsogiannakis was also charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a Browning sawn-off 12-gauge shotgun and a 0.455 silver Webley Patents Mark I revolver and an imitation eight-millimetre Bruni P4 handgun.
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He claimed the weapons were bought in self-defence after he was injured during a "run-through" by intruders at his home. "That suggests an intention to use the guns if necessary and does not excuse your offending," Judge Lacava said. The judge noted the shotgun was loaded with salt rather than cartridges at the time. However the prevalence of such weapons associated with drugs was also noted. At the time of offending, Koutsogiannakis was on a community corrections order for drug and stolen goods charges. The order included drug-addiction treatment. He had previously been convicted four times, including for firearms offences. However his life was "unblemished" in front of the
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law up until he was 40 years old. He had considerable ability, hard work ethic and had contributed to society and family in the past, Judge Lacava noted. About 2015, life changed "unrecognisably" after he became addicted to illicit drugs and estranged from his wife, children and parents. Since the raid, the accused had responded well to 27 days in intensive drug-addiction therapy to overcome his 1.5-gram a day ice habit, the court heard. He was only likely to re-offend if he relapsed into drug use, the judge said. Koutsogiannakis was convicted and jailed for up to four years, with a non-parole period of at least 32 months.
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