Trafficker’s second time not so lucky
GETTING busted once wasn’t enough of a wake- up call for a Townsville drug dealer who was charged by police for trafficking methamphetamine and cannabis a second time while out on bail.
Alexander Richard Black, 31, was pulled over by police in January 2017 and a search of his car revealed a small amount of meth in a clip- seal bag. However, when investigators trawled through his mobile phone they realised he had been exchanging sizeable amounts of cannabis and methamphetamine.
Texts messages showed he had turned over an estimated $ 30,465 worth of the dangerous drugs in the five months prior to his arrest.
This included at least 54.9g of meth dealt in quantities ranging from “half points” to “half balls”.
He was charged with one count of trafficking dangerous drugs and released on bail, only to be busted again in similar circumstances when he was once again pulled over by Townsville police in May 2017.
Another search of his phone revealed he had turned over $ 13,080 of drugs in a twoweek period which included at least 24.6g of meth.
After another drug trafficking charge was laid he was remanded in custody and was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to both offences in Townsville Supreme Court. Justice David North said Black was an organised street- level drug dealer who had on occasion sold on credit or “tick sheets”.
Defence barrister Wayne Pennell said Black initially downplayed his actions to police but once evidence mounted against him he cooperated with authorities.
“He was, for want of a better term, a rabbit in the headlights,” Mr Pennell said.
Justice North said it was concerning Black continued to offend once he had already been charged with trafficking the dangerous drugs.
“It is reasonable inference that for some years now you have been a user of drugs,” Justice North said.
“One thing has led to another and your drug offending has escalated so that you have become a trafficker in dangerous drugs.
“What is serious, of course, is that you were trafficking in drugs such as methamphetamine which causes a lot of collateral harm to the community.”
Taking into account the 574 days Black had already spent behind bars, Justice North sentenced Black to six years’ jail with a parole eligibility date of January 5, 2019.