Yes, he was dealing cocaine
"Mr U arranged with Sonny Schmidt that the latter would
travel to Mexico to deliver the large quantity of cash, and to
make the arrangements for the sending of the cocaine to Australia in a package or packages addressed to fictitious addressees, using the UPS transport system. Paying for the expenses of the trips of Mr U, the airline ticket for Sonny Schmidt to Mexico on 26 October 2000, and payment of most, if not all, of the cost of the cocaine, which was in the order of
A$78,048.87;
On Friday 3 November 2000 in Mexico (Mexico time), two packages containing artefacts were
placed in the UPS transport system in Mexico by a man called Victor. The packages contained nearly three kilograms of white powder. Later analysis revealed that the white powder comprised 1,933.4 grams of pure cocaine. The packages contained glass candles with wax and Mexican handicrafts and artefacts, and were addressed to two false addresses in Carlton and Footscray.
Later that evening, Mr U and the
Schmidt brothers were also arrested and charged with being knowingly concerned in the importation of a prohibited import into Australia. The prisoner was not arrested. On 1 December 2000 the prisoner had a frank and open discussion with the registered informer, the drug trafficker, and, unbeknown to him, the conversation was recorded. It is indeed a damning conversation and amounts to a confession by the prisoner of his total involvement in all the arrangements of this importation.
The brothers Sonny and Pale Schmidt pleaded guilty. Ron Cassar was found guilty of the count of being knowingly concerned in the importation. The learned County Court judge sentenced Mr Cassar to a period of six years imprisonment and fixed a non-parole period of four years. He appealed the sentence and the appeal was dismissed.
Sonny Schmidt was sentenced to a period of three years, to be released after serving 18 months subject to him entering into an undertaking. With respect to Pale Schmidt, he was sentenced on the Commonwealth matters to two years imprisonment but the sentence was suspended. "
