A drug trafficker who left a pistol in his vehicle during a service claimed it was for “self-protection” as he sought to finance his father’s funeral, a court has heard.
The NSW Supreme Court has sentenced Jason Tuiono to 15 months imprisonment for trafficking in a controlled drug other than cannabis and nine months for unauthorised possession of a 3D printed firearm found in the offender’s car, giving an aggregate sentence of 19 months and a non-parole period of 12 months.
The 35-year-old was also fined $650 with no time to pay for unauthorised possession of ammunition found both in the firearm and in the car.
Tuionohad a substantial criminal history and entered an early plea of guilty to possession of a trafficable amount of methylamphetamine and possession of a prohibited weapon.
On 2 March 2023 the offender attended Bridgestone Tyres Service Centre in Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to have the brakes in his silver BMW replaced.
An employee of Bridgestone Tyres drove the car to the workshop and whilst doing so, reached under the driver’s seat to move it forward. He took hold of what he thought was the lever to adjust the seat, however it came loose and stayed in his hand. He looked down and saw the metal barrel of a 3D printed firearm. This is the firearm relevant to the unauthorised possession of a firearm offence.
The same employee alerted the police who attended, declared Bridgestone Tyres a crime scene and arrested the offender when he returned.
At the time of arrest, the offender was in possession of a dark-coloured satchel containing seven clip seal bags containing a total of 18.212 grams and methylamphetamine was detected in the substance. The satchel also contained $2,543.50 in Australian coins and bank notes, a .22 calibre hollow point round of ammunition and a poker machine receipt from the Canberra Labour Club in the amount of about $2,000.
