The man shot dead in a suspected organised crime killing in Bondi Junction this week was once a boss in a lucrative 'Golden Gun' cocaine syndicate that embroiled a Tarrawanna tradie.
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The syndicate was named for the gold-plated .44 Magnum Desert Eagle pistol police found in fencing contractor Matthew Paul Peisley's Kendall Street home when they raided it in February 2007 as part of investigations into a drug ring involving Alen Moradian.
Moradian, 48, was killed on Tuesday morning after he was ambushed while sitting in his vehicle in a car park.
At Peisley's home back in 2007, police also discovered a significant number of other firearms (including prohibited ones), ammunition and more than $10.2 million stored in heat-sealed bags in the roof.
Peisley was responsible for hiding the syndicate's money.
However, agreed facts tendered upon his guilty pleas to unauthorised possession of firearms in aggravated circumstances and dealing with the proceeds of crime said Peisley was "reckless as to whether the source of the money was the proceeds of crime or not".
"The offender was not actively involved in 'laundering the money'," the court document said.
"However, the offender was paid for his assistance in cash, a motor vehicle and a boat."
Sentencing judge Andrew Haesler also accepted that Peisley did not know the source of the money he was holding.
It had come from the sale of cocaine that had been imported from the United States; collectively, Moradian and three others had brought hundreds of kilograms of the drug - worth millions of dollars - into Australia.
Prior to this, Peisley had only two minor matters on his criminal record.
Judge Haesler found Peisley had also stored the firearms on behalf of others for reward.
In 2010, Peisley was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with a minimum term of four years and nine months for his role in the large-scale enterprise, which made him eligible for release in November 2011.
Moradian was jailed in 2011 for a maximum 16 years and nine months for importing more than a commercial quantity of cocaine and supplying a large commercial quantity of the drug.
Several others were also convicted and jailed as a result of NSW Police Force's Operation Schoale.
Police continue to investigate Moradian's death.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
