Busted dealing drugs in prison
A man with a nine-page criminal history who made drug deals from behind bars has fronted court for attempting to supply subbies and meth by making phone calls to unapproved contacts.
Kye Andrew Niveri appeared in Townsville District Court recently after he made arrangements to supply 85 Suboxone strips while he was an inmate at the Townsville Correctional Centre.
Suboxone, which is the brand name for buprenorphine, is a prescription opiate used to help wean people off ice and heroin. It is also known as ‘subbies’, and has become a popular black market prison drug.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Newman told the court 30year-old Niveri made the initial deal with a partner outside prison on an unknown date between October 1, 2022, and November 1, 2022.
Mr Newman said the man’s partner, with whom he made the arrangements with, was taken off his approved caller list, however he continued to make six calls to another contact who would put him through to his partner to make arrangements for drug supplies.
The crown revealed that on April 19 last year, Niveri arranged for 0.64g of methamphetamine to be delivered to the prison with his co-accused Kim William Severnty, who was sentenced on April 10.
Severnty, who was also charged with other drug supply charges, was sentenced to three and a half years’ jail.
Niveri pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying dangerous drugs and six counts of calling an approved number and requesting to conference with someone else. He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail and is eligible for parole immediately.