Corio 21yo facing lifetime behind bars over ice found in suitcase

A CORIO man faces a potential life jail sentence after 5kg of the drug ice was allegedly found hidden in suitcases sent to him from Malaysia.

Sent from Kuala Lumpur, the methylamphetamine was detected by Australian Border Force authorities in luggage addressed to supermarket shelf stacker Nicholas Jaworski at the Corio home he shares with his father, police alleged.

Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard the suitcases were seized last week, with Mr Jaworski arrested on Monday.

Detective Senior Constable Warren Normoyle said the meth was “very well hidden” in the lining of the suitcases.

Minus the drugs, the suitcases were then delivered to the Corio home, with the accused man’s father signing for them in the front yard before handing them to his son, who took them inside.

“I couldn’t understand why there were suitcases,” the father told court yesterday.

Police charged the son with four drug offences, including trafficking and possession of a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine.

Detectives were yet to calculate the street value of the drugs.

“It doesn’t get any more serious than this,” prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Chris Capuano said, telling the court the trafficking charge carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The court heard Mr Jaworski was not a drug user, had no criminal record, and was his father’s unofficial carer.

He was granted bail after his pensioner parents agreed to pay a $10,000 surety.

A casual worker at his local Coles, he must also surrender his passport and report regularly to police until he returns to court on December 14.

Sen-Constable Mormoyle said it appeared the suitcases had not been opened when they entered the home and found Jaworski in the bathroom eating a muffin as he prepared to take a shower.

Police seized his phone, and believe the man was communicating with someone about the suitcases on the messaging app Wickr prior to his arrest.

“We believe the accused was involved with other people to arrange the importation of 5kg of methylamphetamine,” the detective said.

The accused man gave police a no comment interview but detectives recorded some conversations.

Supported by family in court, Mr Jaworski was tearful during the bail application. His lawyer Simon O’Halloran, argued for bail, citing a clean past, stable accommodation, job and pivotal caring for his dad.