A pharmacist who illegally imported more than 400 kilograms of a drug found in cough medicine has had his dreams of a new career as a naturopath dashed because he isn't allowed to work with children.
Ali Kozanoglu, 57, was jailed for nine months after a County Court jury found him guilty in April 2015 of trafficking the drug dextromethorphan, which can be used to make speed and ecstasy.
While 'DXM' is a compound commonly used in cough medicine, the amount imported by the Coburg pharmacist was completely out of proportion to any legitimate use.
With his prison bid served, Kozanoglu recently applied for a working with children assessment but was given a negative notice because it was deemed he would pose an unjustifiable safety risk.
Last month, he appealed that decision by the secretary of the Department of Justice and Regulation to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal but was again rejected.
Kozanoglu had sought the working with children check because it was needed to complete the clinical component of a diploma of naturopathy.
While applicants are automatically knocked back if they have committed violent crimes or serious sexual offences, Kozanoglu's rejection was considered unusual because his offending didn't fall in to that area.
However Vice President Judge Marilyn Harbison decided to uphold the original decision, agreeing that Kozanoglu's conviction as a drug trafficker made him an unjustifiable risk to children.
In the reasons for her decision, Judge Harbison wrote that Kozanoglu had breached his position of trust as a pharmacist when he committed the offences.
"He appears to have no insight as to what a position of trust entails. In particular he has no insight into the way in which his offending is directly connected to the proliferation of illegal drugs in the community," she wrote.
"Should he be granted a positive assessment, he will be in a position of trust in relation to children. I have no confidence that he will understand the responsibilities of such a position."
The tribunal had earlier heard that Kozanoglu had lost everything built in 28 years as a pharmacist and that he was studying naturopathy in an attempt to rebuild his life.
Referees had also deposed that they would have no hesitation of leaving children with Kozanoglu.
However, as Kozanoglu is still serving a suspended jail sentence, Judge Harbison did not agree.
"I am further satisfied that a reasonable person would not allow his or her child to have direct contact with the applicant that was not directly supervised by another person," she wrote.
A sentencing judge said that Kozanoglu had used his legitimate business structure to mask hs criminal conduct and that the offending involved a level of "sophistication, planning and persistence".
His brother, Riza Kozanoglu, was also convicted.