A doctor who imported an illegal drug into Australia has avoided prison and will be allowed to return to Germany.
Kaweh Schirsafi - a German national - was on Tuesday fined in Brisbane Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to importing gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, into the country.
The court was told Schirsafi arrived at Brisbane airport on November 11 on a tourist visa, intending to stay in Australia for two weeks.
When he arrived, Australian Border Force found a number of bottles and vials, containing 730 grams of GHB, in his baggage.
Magistrate Anthony Gett said the amount of GHB found in Schirsafi's luggage was a marketable quantity, but it had been accepted the drug was intended for personal use.
"You were initially arrested but you were hospitalised due to withdrawal symptoms, which is a reflection of, it seems, the addiction you've had to this drug," Mr Gett said.
GHB acts as a nervous system depressant.
Schirsafi had been using the drug, which he received from another senior doctor or other times ordered online, to manage work-related stress.
Defence barrister Alastair McDougall said Schirsafi was hospitalised for 12 days after his arrest, and was embarrassed to have "imposed himself" on Australia's health care system, border force and the courts.
After being detained in Australia for three months, Schirsafi's employment in Germany had been terminated and his business - a COVID-19 testing clinic - had suffered, the court was told.
Mr McDougall said Schirsafi intended to return home to Germany as soon as he was allowed.
Mr Gett said Schirsafi had disclosed his addiction, which he had previously kept hidden, to those who knew him and had taken steps to rehabilitate.
"You have done something about it, you've gone through detoxification ... you also still look to address those underlying issues," he said.
Mr Gett said a prison sentence was not appropriate in his view.
Schirsafi was instead ordered to pay a fine of $3300 within three days.
