Drug gang’s ‘ gofer’ jailed

A DRUG runner who became embroiled in one of the North’s largest drug rings will spend the next five months behind bars.

James Robert Bright, 35, was nabbed for drug trafficking and drug production in 2011 during a covert police operation.

Detectives were monitoring his phone as part of Operation Julie Sacramento which resulted in more than 25 people being charged with drug trafficking.

During a six- month period Bright was taking orders from the ring leader and transporting cannabis and money.

He was also tending to a large- scale cannabis crop in Ravenswood where police found more than 60 cannabis plants.

Bright was sentenced in the Townsville Supreme Court on Friday to two- and- a- half years in prison, suspended after five months.

Crown prosecutor Michael Cowen QC said Bright was a low- level drug runner who was regularly abused and accused of being an informant.

“Mr Bright could be reasonably described as a gofer ... a dogsbody for the main offender as he used to transport drugs or money to and from the main offender,” he said.

“He has obviously been led astray by somebody else ... he was suspected of being an informant.

“He was a browbeaten runner in that he was routinely chastised and spoken to harshly.”

Bright’s drug activity occurred between March and August 2011 and he came to police attention several times.

On July 8, 2011, police intercepted his car and found 10 pounds ( 4.5kg) of cannabis divided into one pound packets.

He was also storing drugs at an Alligator Creek property and meeting customers to supply them with cannabis.

On August 27, 2011, Bright dropped off a drug associate to the Magnetic Island ferry terminal who was carrying four pounds of methylamphetamine.

Defence barrister Greg Lynham said his client had been a hard- working, lawabiding citizen until a chance meeting at a Townsville pub with the drug ring leader sent his life on a downward spiral.

“He first met the main offender at the Dalrymple Hotel in 2009,” he said.

“He started using illicit substances supplied by the main offender.”