A man facing a long jail term over a plot to import $184 million worth of drugs had no trappings of wealth and took part only to wipe a debt, his lawyer argues.
Police accumulated a "mountain of evidence" over the attempt to smuggle 295 kilograms of meth concealed in an excavator in 2021, including from a listening device placed in the machinery prior to its delivery.
Raymond Saab, 26, and Antonio Norman de Luca, 28, appeared for a joint sentence hearing in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court on Friday.
Saab's lawyer, Stephen Lloyd SC described his client as an "idiot" for keeping digital evidence that tied him to the crime, which was easily uncoverable by police.
Lawyers for the men argued their long-term drug use had led them to become involved in the scheme.
Both entered guilty pleas over their roles, which the court was told was somewhere in the middle of the drug importation hierarchy and beneath the true ringleaders.
Another man charged over the plot, 32-year-old Afif Saliba, has also pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced on October 4.
Neither Saab or de Luca were involved in sourcing or packing the drugs and were taking part only to facilitate their arrival in Australia, the court was told.
Their lawyers argued neither knew the exact quantity or nature of the drugs they were importing, and were only following the orders of higher-ups.
Prosecutor Danielle New agreed on behalf of the Crown that was most likely the case.
"There isn't evidence to suggest either of these gentleman personally incurred expenses towards this importation," she told the court.
"It does somewhat suggest there are higher persons involved."
Mr Lloyd conceded Saab would likely have suspected the drugs were of a commercial quantity, having required a large piece of heavy machinery in which to conceal them.
"It would be foolish of me to suggest he only thought it was a kilo," Mr Lloyd said.
Prosecutors noted de Luca may be more culpable having helped warehouse the drugs for several weeks after they arrived in the country, making use of several storage facilities he rented using his real photo ID.
Mr Lloyd said Saab had taken on a large amount of the risk involved with the importation, despite playing a minor part.
"In doing what he did he's putting himself at the coalface for arrest," Mr Lloyd said.
He noted scientific evidence suggests the brain does not mature until around the age of 25, which was Saab's age at the time of the offence.
Judge Penelope Wass clarified that is the case, "only for men".
A sentence hearing for Saab and de Luca has been scheduled for August 4.
