Real life ‘Breaking Bad’: Jail for NSW man who turned to drug smuggling after cancer diagnosis

A NSW man has been found guilty of a drug plot straight out of Breaking Bad and has been jailed for at least nine months.

Licensed pilot Bernhard Stevemuer was diagnosed with cancer and was worried about his family’s financial future when he became involved in a $20 million international drug trafficking syndicate.

His illegal activities came undone last July when police swooped on Albion Park Airport in Shellharbour, south of Sydney.

Officers also found $70,000 at Stevemuer’s Wollongong home.

The court heard Stevemuer’s Albion Park company Always Airborne was being used by the syndicate to launder money.

As part of that operation, the 43-year-old flew three planes from the USA, Malaysia and Cambodia into Australia from 2012-14.

Stevemuer pleaded guilty and was today sentenced to at least nine months in jail.

However, he immediately launched an appeal against the sentence, which will be heard in court later this month.