A drug ring boss who shot his laboratory cook dead and tried to dissolve his body in a barrel of acid has been sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Brok Seckold was found guilty by a Victorian Supreme Court jury of the kidnapping and murder of Yengo Faugere in October 2011.

The court heard Seckold set up a number of methamphetamine laboratories in Melbourne after moving from New South Wales in 2010 and wrongly believed Mr Faugere was stealing chemicals for money to set up a nightclub business.

His suspicion was motivated by a police raid on a laboratory in a flat in Canterbury, in which officers seized 14 jars of pure methamphetamine.

When media reports on the raid failed to mention the drugs, Seckold believed Mr Faugere had stolen them, and decided to murder him.

The court heard Seckold kidnapped Mr Faugere from a house in Maribyrnong and drove him to Mansfield, where he shot him dead.

Prosecutors told the court, Seckold then used a chainsaw to dismember the body, before taking it to Port Phillip Bay, and trying unsuccessfully, to sink the remains in an esky.

They say Seckold then put the remains in a barrel of acid, which was later discovered in another police raid on another property rented by Seckold for drug-making, at St Leonards on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Seckold also pleaded guilty to numerous weapons charges, after a number of guns were found inside one of his properties.

Judge describes killing as 'callous and horrifying'

Justice Lex Lasry described the murder as "horrifying".

"The charges of murder and kidnapping by which you have been found guilty are... callous and horrifying," Justice Lasry said.

"You still do not accept responsibility for killing Faugere so there can be considerations of remorse.

"The community must be genuinely affronted that people like you can kill for such thoroughly despicable reasons."

Justice Lasry said the deterrence factor was important in his sentencing of Seckold.

"The fact that over a period of days, as you planned how Yengo Faugere would be kidnapped and murdered, you did not once stop to hesitate about doing such a terrible thing to another human being," he said.

"Significantly, apart from your desire to succeed by making significant sums of money from the sale of drugs there is very little that explains how you were able to commit such a planned and callous killing.

"All you could contemplate was either punishment of Faugere or protection of your drug business."

The court heard Seckold had been a talented chef before he started his drugs business, and Justice Lasry said it was "tragic" he would now forfeit the best years of life to prison.

He sentenced Seckold to a minimum term of 25 years.

Seckold showed little emotion as the sentence was read out, but bowed to Justice Lasry as he was lead away, and blew a kiss to a supporter.

Mother says sentence brings closure, warns of drug dangers

Florrie Pinto speaks outside court after the sentencing of Brok Seckold for brutally killing her son. ( ABC News )

Yengo Faugere's mother Florrie Pinto and brother, Emile Faugere, travelled from New South Wales for the sentence.

They welcomed the decision.

"We feel that with that length of sentence, it is a good thing for the community," Ms Pinto said.

"It protects other young people.

"We're really happy because it's been such a long process for us, but we think Justice Lasry has done the right thing, and feel fully vindicated by that part of it.

"We are really relieved because it has been a long three years for us. Today brings some closure for us."

Ms Pinto said she was saddened Seckold, whom she described as an intelligent person, had chosen to murder her son over money and drugs.

She described her son as "a very capable young man who contributed a lot to the community", and said he wanted to become a DJ.

"I'm just hoping other young people are listening to this," Ms Pinto said.

"And understand where the early dabbling of drugs can take you when you're involved with the wrong kind of people."