Gerardo Penna leaves the ACT Courts after his trial began on Monday. Photo: Albert McKnight.
A drug dealer allegedly nicknamed “Superdick” says he has nothing to do with an alleged attempt to import 750 grams of methamphetamine from the USA into Australia.
Gerardo Penna “absolutely” denied any involvement in the scheme he is alleged to have planned with two women, jurors heard when his trial began in the ACT Supreme Court on Monday (17 March).
The two women were partners who lived together in northern Canberra. The first was expected to tell the jury she had been a regular meth user who allegedly used to get her drugs from Mr Penna, prosecutor Joshua Nottle said in his opening address.
He alleged the three came up with an agreement in which the first woman would get a package delivered to her house on behalf of Mr Penna in exchange for “free drugs”.
On 6 October 2021, a consignment was lodged in Claremont, California, to be sent to the address of the two women’s home, although it was addressed to a man, Mr Nottle said.
The prosecutor said this man was a friend and colleague of the first woman who had his mail sent to her home as he had moved from Canberra.
Three days later, it’s alleged that in messages between the two women on an encrypted messaging app called Session, the second woman said, “Yeah well will we need to prep it? Is it solid or power?”
“We can deliver for prep to him,” she also allegedly said.
Mr Nottle said the Australian Border Force detected abnormalities in the consignment when it arrived in Sydney that November and it was allegedly found to contain a mixture of meth and aluminium in powder form.
Police replaced the powder with an inert substance and put a listening device into the consignment. Then a police officer, pretending to be a delivery driver, dropped it off at the home of the two women on 17 November 2021.
Mr Nottle said he expected the first woman to tell the jury she received the package, and she allegedly called Mr Penna almost immediately before telling him she would message him on the Session app.
Gerardo Penna has pleaded not guilty to the charge he faces at his trial. Photo: Albert McKnight.
Police soon raided the women’s home. Mr Nottle said while they were there, they allegedly saw a message appear on the first woman’s Session app from a person called “Superdick”.
It is the prosecution’s case that “Superdick” was Mr Penna, he said, and the message essentially said to put everything back the way it was and leave.
Mr Penna was near the women’s home when police arrived, Mr Nottle alleged.
He said police raided Mr Penna’s home a week later, where they allegedly found various items that were capable of separating meth from aluminium.
Mr Penna has pleaded not guilty to his charge of agreeing to attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, for which he faces trial.
However, his defence barrister, Beth Morrisroe, told jurors he had separately pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking a controlled drug, for which he would be dealt with and sentenced in the future.
Ms Morrisroe said her client “does not profess to be an angel”, but he “absolutely” denied any involvement in the drug importation charge.
“It’s nothing to do with him,” she said.
She urged jurors to think “very carefully” about the first woman and to pay attention to what she said and what motivations she might have.
The trial is listed to continue before Justice David Mossop for three to four weeks.
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