The s.16G adjustment for absence of remissions need not follow a fixed one-third mathematical formula, particularly for very long sentences, and may be moderated as part of the instinctive synthesis. The starting point of one-third is of less assistance the longer the sentence. A head sentence of 21 years' imprisonment (reduced from 26 years for future co-operation) was upheld for a principal organiser of the importation of 23.9 kilograms of pure heroin, the largest importation into Victoria at the time.
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