Mohammat Hossain Nosrati: Former immigration detainee admits drug trafficking offence days after release

A former immigration detainee who breached his visa-mandated curfew has admitted committing serious drug offences in regional WA. Mohammat Hossain Nosrati was one of 152 non-citizens released from immigration detention after a landmark High Court decision in November that it was illegal to hold stateless individuals indefinitely. The ruling left the Albanese Government scrambling to bring in emergency laws to keep an eye on them in the community. Strict conditions were imposed under bridging visas, including curfews and tracking via electronic monitoring devices. Soon after his release, Nosrati was charged with trafficking illegal drugs and pleaded not guilty, securing bail while he awaited trial. But he breached his new visa conditions on June 3, leaving his accommodation at Canning Bridge Auto Lodge in Applecross. He was arrested by Australian Federal Police and wound up back behind bars. The Perth Magistrates Court was told later that month that Nosrati visited three stores in 22 minutes before he bought a drink at a McDonald’s drive through. On Monday, the 29-year-old fronted the District Court of WA via videolink from Albany Regional Prison to change his plea for the drugs charge to guilty. Judge Julie Wager was told Nosrati trafficked methamphetamine, heroin and cannabis on November 21 - less than a fortnight after the High Court ruling - in Northam. She was also told he suffered schizophrenia and other mental health problems, and ordered a psychological report ahead of sentencing. Judge Wager scheduled a sentence mention hearing for the drugs charge on November 22 and a sentence mention hearing for the visa breach on November 27.