He sold drugs to impress
A CAIRNS man has received a wholly suspended jail term for his role in importing the psychedelic drug “green mario” to be sold in the region.
But Hayden Fornera wasn’t the prime mover.
The Cairns Supreme Court was told he had offered a PO Box for the drugs to be sent to between September 2015 and May last year.
However, he expected to be paid and he was, with 250 of the 500 pills that tests revealed to be 2C-B, which is a designer hallucinogen.
The maximum penalty for importing marketable quantities of border-controlled drugs into Australia is 25 years jail and a $900,000 fine.
Fornera came to the law’s attention after a package addressed to him was intercepted by police. The court was told this then revealed Fornera’s trafficking ventures between December 2015 and September last year.
He told police: “I just like to have fun with my friends and associates, that’s all.”
Fornera said he bought “50 or so” MDMA pills at a time and sold them to his friends at the same price.
His lawyer Bebe Mellick said his client was prompted by a desire to “fit in” and impress the crowd he hung out with.
“This is serious behaviour,” Justice James Henry said, adding that Fornera’s admissions to police had resulted in the charges.
The 23-year-old had no criminal history. He pleaded guilty to the charges.
He was released on a $1000 good behaviour bond.
Justice Henry also slapped Fornera with a $5000 fine, to be paid by December 11, and placed him on two years’ probation.
Convictions were recorded.