After authorities discovered 4.8g of cocaine concealed “between the buttocks,” a teenage apprentice electrician barely escaped serving time in prison.
On June 6, police swarmed on Gabriel El-Cheikh, 19, after seeing a Toyota Corolla driving erratically through the east Sydney neighbourhood of Bondi as another guy drew significant quantities of cash from an ATM.
Officers followed the guy withdrawing cash to the Hotel Ravesis restroom, where they found two packets of white substance.
El-Cheikh and the driver were instructed to exit the vehicle when it was stopped by other investigators, according to the Daily Telegraph.
According to the facts, “Police took the passengers from the car and searched the accused, finding a plastic bag tucked in his trousers between his buttocks.”
The offender was requested by police to remove the object, and he consented.
A tactical boot knife, a retractable sheaf knife, and $3650 in cash were also discovered by the police.
El-Cheikh was found guilty of drug distribution, dealing in criminal gains totaling less than $100,000, and having a banned firearm on Wednesday at Waverly Local Court.
The kid, who had recently completed high school and had received an exceptional Australian Tertiary Admissions rank of 87.2, was described as “clearly clever” but made a “foolish mistake” by Magistrate Ross Hudson.
He claims that he was supporting his family, but as his job opportunities were restricted, he resorted to the provision of drugs to make up for the lost shifts and decline in employment, Magistrate Hudson said.
He said that he had great stress as a result of having to care for his younger sibling.
He now works a lawful second job to support his family.
He claims that he fully regrets what he did and takes full responsibility for it.
He claims that, in his immaturity, he believed it to be an easy method to obtain money.
El-Cheikh received two community corrections orders with monitoring as part of his sentence.
Both are for 15 months, with one lasting 12 months. He paid a $550 fine.