A Melbourne businessman turned to the illegal fireworks trade during the COVID-19 pandemic in a bid to profit off "lockdown madness" and boost his dwindling income.
Yusuf Shuker ran a smash repairs business at Campbellfield in Melbourne's north when the pandemic hit.
His income slowly dwindled over 12 months to the point he had to lay off four of his five staff, and he started selling fireworks to friends and family from about September 2021, his defence lawyer Dr Theo Alexander told Broadmeadows Magistrates Court.
Shuker's fireworks sales eventually morphed into a clandestine business, although he advertised it on social media including Snapchat.
A member of the public tipped police off to Shuker's online advertisements and an undercover operative went on to buy fireworks several times from him.
Shuker sold a variety of fireworks packages including a "lockdown madness" bag.
He ended up making more than 530 sales across Victoria worth almost $300,000, ultimately turning a profit of about $60,000.
Shuker told one customer, "I've got more cakes than that cheesecake shop”.
He realised he could profit off people's lockdown madness and sell fireworks as a form of entertainment, his lawyer said.
“He did it for a commercial motive ... in somewhat unusual circumstances," Dr Alexander said on Monday.
“But for the COVID events, it may very well have been that he would not have gone down this route."
Police raids at Shuker's home and other properties in 2022 uncovered about 227 kilograms of fireworks.
There was nothing to stop his six children from going into a room and lighting one of the explosives, the court was told.
Officers also seized nine throwing blades and three extendable batons during the raids.
CCTV revealed Shuker was in possession of a SKS model semi-automatic rifle and a sawn-of double-barrelled shotgun.
The footage showed Shuker storing the guns and posing for a photo with them.
Dr Alexander conceded Shuker and his associate were playing with the rifle like "a bit like a toy, which it isn't", but said Shuker ultimately went out of his way to recover the SKS for police and get it off the streets.
Shuker only had the rifle to "safekeep" it for someone else, Dr Alexander said.
The father of six, who was the sole breadwinner of his family, agreed to pay a $100,000 penalty.
Magistrate David Langton ordered Shuker to pay an additional $1000 fine for possessing more than 1500 rounds of ammunition and sentenced him to three months in prison for possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms.
The magistrate also sentenced Shuker to serve a 12-month community corrections order and complete 200 hours of unpaid community work.
Later on Monday, Shuker flagged his intention to appeal and successfully applied for bail.
The magistrate noted the SKS rifle was capable of doing serious damage and taking lives.
Shuker’s co-accused - friends Salah Sayadi and Ibrahim Benbrika, and his brother Ibrahim Aldainy - helped the father of six with the fireworks scheme.
The magistrate fined the trio $1500 each for their involvement.
Benbrika was fined an additional $2700 for other offences.
