Life in jail for Canadian national behind one of Australia’s biggest and most sophisticated drug syndicates
THE mastermind of one of Australia’s biggest and most sophisticated drug operations has been sentenced to life in prison after importing $260 million worth of illegal substances into the country.
Canadian national Mark Clermont, 36, was charged with importing 85.5 kg of pure cocaine and 192.9 kg of pure methylamphetamines inside the barrel of a road roller.
It was one of the biggest drug busts in Australian history.
He denied all involvement but a jury found him guilty and he was today sentenced to life in jail with a non-parole period of 20 years.
Acting Judge Anthony Garling said Clermont arrived in Australia in April 2010 on a tourist visa to set up the Australian arm of an international drug syndicate financed by a North American man known as “Big D”.
A legitimate importation business was set up and for two and a half years items such as tractors and forklifts were imported to create the impression the company was engaged in legitimate activity.
But it wasn’t until a road roller was imported into Australia in September 2012 that authorities became suspicious.
“It contained methylamphetamine and cocaine which were concealed in the barrel of the road roller,” Judge Garling said during sentencing at the Sydney District Court.
“They were concealed in such a way which included lead lining to defeat X-ray examination of the roller by Australian Customs.
“It was a very clever concealment.”
Though Customs did tests on the road roller, they were not prepared to deconstruct it and it was successfully delivered to a Terrey Hills address where the drugs were unloaded.
Weeks later AFP officer raided the property, seized the drugs and arrested Clermont and his co-accused and fellow Canadian Mathieu Horobjowsky.
Judge Garling said Clermont’s offending was in the worst category and he needed to be sentenced in such a way that he realised that he cannot commit these types of offences again.
“I note that Clermont was not addicted to drugs, he was doing this for financial gain and his own greed.”
Clermont, who has a science degree and had a stable upbringing, did not react when he was sentenced to a maximum of life in jail.
Horobjowsky, 35, was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years with a non-parole period of 13 years.
Though he played a lesser part than Clermont, Judge Garling said Horobjowsky’s involvement as the facilitator was still very significant and he knew exactly what he was doing.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-drug-syndicates/story-fni0cx12-1227238510102
