Hussein Al-Obidi, who worked for one of New Zealand's largest ever drug syndicates, sentenced to prison

Hussein Al-Obidi was sentenced today in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / NZME

An "extreme" methamphetamine addict who racked up a $250,000 "noose around his neck" debt to an international drug syndicate has been sentenced to nearly four years' prison for his work within the illegal operation to pay off the debt.

Hussein Al-Obidi, 35, only worked for the syndicate reluctantly and suffered PTSD as a result of the violence he saw while in the role, his lawyer told Justice Simon Moore today during his sentencing hearing in the High Court at Auckland.

"He was driven by fear and coercion by others much higher in the operation," said Tiffany Cooper, pointing out that her client also suffered PTSD as a result of bullying after he immigrated to New Zealand from Iraq when he was 7 years old.

Al-Obidi should receive a discount from his overall sentence in part because of the "psychological damage he has suffered" from "his time in this world", she suggested.

But prosecutors noted that Al-Obidi was in direct contact with the alleged mastermind of the syndicate and worked with the man on a side project to sell illegal military-style firearms. He had more of an "operational" role than suggested by the defence, David Johnstone argued.

Al-Obidi pleaded guilty to a dozen drug-related charges, including possessing methamphetamine for supply and being in possession of over 1300 MDMA tablets.

Authorities have said he participated from June 2017 to October 2018 in one of the largest drug syndicates ever to have operated in New Zealand. Police executed a search warrant on his home in October 2018, discovering a drug ledger on his cellphone along with photos of multiple military-style rifles.

Justice Moore agreed that Al-Obidi offended to fund his drug habit and pay down his debt. He also agreed that there was a nexus between Al-Obidi's childhood trauma and his crimes.

Methamphetamine gave Al-Obidi more confidence following the bullying he received as a child, but the addiction quickly grew out of hand to up to 4 grams per day, which the judge noted as among the highest daily amounts he'd ever heard.

The judge also noted that Al-Obidi has taken extraordinary steps over the last three years at Higher Ground drug rehabilitation centre in Auckland, where he now works to counsel others. He noted that the courtroom where the sentencing was initially to take place had to be changed because it was too small to accommodate all of Al-Obidi's family and friends from the recovery community.

"It says a great deal about you that the public gallery in this courtroom is packed to overflowing," Justice Moore said after announcing the three years and 11 months' sentence, as Al-Obidi's mother wept and the defendant wiped away tears of his own.

"You're now making a very real, positive contribution to society by sharing your experiences with others," the judge added, urging Al-Obidi to pick up where he left off when he is released from prison. "You've already shown you're capable of doing that."