A senior government lawyer who is allegedly part of a sophisticated drug operation has been granted bail along with his co-accused.



Nicholaos Gouliaditis, 34, was on Thursday night arrested at a Martin Place office following a two-month investigation into an alleged Sydney drug ring.

Police allege he sold a total of 500ml of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and 13.8 grams of methamphetamine (ice) to undercover officers between 30 July and 13 August.

Conditional bail was granted to the solicitor, who has been suspended from “his current role as a senior legal officer” with a government agency, Sydney’s central local court heard on Friday.

He must post a $20,000 surety, stay at his father’s Cronulla home, report daily to police, adhere to a curfew between 8pm and 8am, surrender his passport and avoid all points of international departure.

“These stringent conditions, in essence house arrest ... would isolate him both from the individuals and the locations said to be associated with this offence,” his barrister said.

The prosecution opposed his bail saying he was a flight risk, could obtain fraudulent travel documents and weapons through his connections with the drug syndicate, had strong ties in Greece and a history involving drugs.

“If convicted he faces a custodial sentence of 20 years,” the prosecution said, adding that their case was “extremely strong.”

“There is (also) that risk of evidence being tampered with.”

Physical and electronic surveillance and numerous phone taps of the “organised, sophisticated syndicate” would be used against Gouliaditis during his trial, the court heard.

But his lawyer argued he was involved in a “garden variety”, “street-level” operation.

“His parents do have strong connections to Greece. They’re Greek,” he said.

Gouliaditis’ co-accused, 25-year-old Andrew Connell, was granted bail with similar conditions after also being charged with drug offences.

At the time of his arrest, it’s alleged Gouliaditis had three grams of methamphetamines, an “ice” pipe, scales, numerous resealable plastic bags and a large amount of cash on him.

A search of his Newtown home allegedly turned up an electronic stun gun and liquid believed to be GHB.

Both men are due before Downing Centre local court on October 16.