A man who got caught up with an international drug syndicate was trying to clear a $15,000 debt he amassed by consuming an "astronomical" amount of cocaine, a court has been told.
Connor McFarlane was arrested in April 2024 after being caught red-handed while trying to collect a shipment of about 25kg of ketamine which had been smuggled into Australia.
The 23-year-old drove a rental car to the Sydney location provided by an acquaintance to collect the drugs, estimated to have a street value of $7.35 million.
McFarlane didn't know what kind of drug he was collecting or that it was a commercial quantity, Judge Graham Turnbull said while sentencing him to a maximum of four years in jail.
Penrith District Court was told the drugs had been stashed inside three cars, but were detected by authorities and replaced with an inert substance.
McFarlane was told his participation would clear a debt of between $10,000 and $15,000, which he amassed due to a cocaine addiction.
Prior to the offence, Judge Turnbull noted McFarlane reported consuming just under an ounce of cocaine in a week, "which is an astronomical amount".
"It was not an insubstantial debt and accordingly that may well have suggested to (McFarlane) this was not an insubstantial importation that he was to be involved in," he said.
The judge said McFarlane's involvement showed his immaturity, ignorance of the consequences, and his impaired thinking as he "wallowed in a drug-addicted lifestyle".
"He seems to me to be a young man who's walked into something far beyond his contemplation," he said.
"It's young men and women like the offender who provide easy marks for drug syndicates."
The court was told sophisticated international networks sourced the drugs, concealed them, and dispatched them to Australia before McFarlane was tasked with collection.
While the 23-year-old only became involved in "the last step" of the offence, Judge Turnbull said it was a crucial task to the success of drug importation.
He took into account McFarlane's difficult upbringing and dedication to rehabilitating himself, but said there must be a stern warning to would-be traffickers that the risk of severe punishment cancelled out financial rewards.
McFarlane was sentenced to four years behind bars for attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawful import.
He will be eligible for parole in July 2026 after a year and nine months in jail.
