HEROIN, COCAINE 'FOUND IN UNIT'

A FATHER of three hid $750,000 worth of heroin around his apartment,
claiming the drugs were payment for gambling debts, a court heard yesterday.

Gegtu Buasutill, 42, was arrested at his Marrickville apartment on
Friday afternoon after a joint operation by the organised crime squad
South East Asian branch.

He was allegedly carrying a bag filled with $19,409 cash and a small
bag of white powder when police arrested him at 4pm outside the unit.

Central Local Court heard he told the arresting officers at
Marrickville police station the cash was his savings and gambling
wins, and the white powder was given to him by a man named Steve.

While the part-time smash repairer was being interviewed, police
returned to search the Marrickville Rd apartment.

They allegedly found five rock of heroin weighing 100 grams in a
Tupperware container in the kitchen, and two tightly packed parcels of
heroin wrapped in clothes in a bedroom cupboard.

Police prosecutor Sgt Winston Pisani said there were scales,
resealable plastic bags, a coffee grinder and jewellery scattered
around the apartment.

"There were numerous documents with the defendant's name also found in
the apartment," said Sgt Pisani.

Sgt Pisani asked that bail be refused because of the seriousness of
the charges - police allegedly found 857 grams of heroin valued at
$750,000, $700 worth of cocaine and $34,129 cash in the apartment.

Legal Aid solicitor Brian Van Zuylen said Buasutill denied the
charges, and that he was a non-custodial father of three teenagers who
lived with his parents in Monterey.

Buasutill was refused bail and will appear in Central Local Court
tomorrow.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady