Cocaine smuggler gets green light for access to Moorabbin airport
A CONVICTED drug smuggler has won the right of access to restricted areas of Moorabbin airport in his work as a courier driver for an airfreight company.
Dejan Maksimovic was identified by the federal police as working in the secure areas after being released from a six-year prison sentence for importing cocaine.
The Department of Infrastructure and Transport wanted a revocation of Maksimovic’s access to secure areas through his employer, Tasfast Airfreight, because of his multiple drug convictions.
Maksimovc was convicted in 1997 of cultivating cannabis but a six-month jail term was suspended.
In 2006, the 39-year-old was convicted of importing 780 grams of cocaine and jailed for seven years by a judge who said he was motivated by financial gain and had given no hint of remorse or acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Maksimovic appealed against his airport ban to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and has now been granted a limited Aviation Security Identification Card.
The tribunal ruled that because of his drug convictions it had decided Mr Maksimovic should not have access to the secure areas of all airports and, in particular, he should not have access to the secure areas of international airports.
His limited security clearance gives him access to restricted areas only at Moorabbin Airport and only while he is an employee of Tasfast Airfreight.
Tasfast told the AAT he was a valued employee with a strong work ethic.
The pass was granted in part so Maksimovic, who has a pilot’s licence, can develop his career and perhaps ultimately be considered for a commercial pilot position.
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Makes a mockery of the whole process and value of the ASIC.
Time to scrap the whole thing??