Three men have been jailed over their attempt to smuggle the world’s biggest haul of ecstasy into Australia.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury found the trio guilty of conspiring to smuggle more than 15 million ecstasy tablets into Australia from Italy in 2007.
The drugs weighed more than 4.4 tonnes, had an estimated street value of $122 million and were hidden inside tomato tins.
At the time of the seizure, it was the largest haul of ecstasy in the world.
Pasquale Sergi, Salvatore Agresta and John Higgs were sentenced to a combined total of 40 years in jail.
“You were all involved in a crime in which every one was playing for the highest stakes we have ever known in this country,” Justice Betty King said.
“That of obtaining possession of 15 million plus tablets of ecstasy
“You must have all been aware of the risk and the consequences of [your] involvement.
“You chose to take that risk and now you must all bear the consequences.”
Higgs, 65, who has a criminal history including a conviction for manslaughter, was sentenced to 18 years in jail with a non-parole period of 14 years.
Agresta, 44, who ran an Ascot Vale Deli where gangland identity Des Moran was shot dead in 2009, was sentenced to 12 years in jail to serve at least 8 years.
Sergi, 49, was sentenced to 10 years in jail, to serve a minimum 6 years and 9 months.
A fourth man who can not be named has also been jailed over the conspiracy.
The two ringleaders, New South Wales men Pasquale Barbaro and Saverio Zirilli, have already been jailed.
Quick reminder – this happened in 2007 and it’s taken 6 years to jail these men – at what cost to taxpayers we don’t know!
