Desserts to drug running
‘Catastrophic’ cannabis caper to help Covid-hit cafe
A GEELONG cafe owner was exposed as a drug courier after turning to the criminal world in a bizarre attempt to support his business as it struggled through Covid-19 lockdowns.
Craig Annand, 50, was running the Twisted Dessert Bar on Moorabool St when he made the decision to transport bags of cannabis in the boot of his car.
Geelong Magistrates Court heard Annand’s criminal activities were sniffed out when police noticed a strong smell after he stopped at a “ring of steel” checkpoint in Little River. Annand, of Curlewis, was sentenced on Thursday to a good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Jeremy Allen described Annand’s attempt in September last year as one of the most bizarre and foolish he had encountered.
“I mean, during a ‘ring of steel’, if ever there was a case in my 15 years of a foolhardy and desperate roll of the dice, this would be it,” he said.
The court heard Annand’s business was in a “diabolical” financial state during Victoria’s second lockdown when he took on the role of transporting cannabis to secure money.
Annand was driving towards Geelong when he was stopped at the Princes Freeway checkpoint, where police found 844g of cannabis spread across two bags in his boot.
A small set of scales and more than $2800 in cash were also discovered.
Annand was arrested and made full admissions, telling police he needed cash to run his business and it was a stupid thing to do. Defence lawyer Mark Sehler said Annand’s criminal venture was “amateurish”.
He said the decision to traffic cannabis came after lockdowns decimated Twisted Dessert Bar, which had shown signs of being successful while gaining traction among local foodies.
The court heard Annand’s financial woes were compounded after he took out a lease on a new store in Brunswick shortly before the second lockdown.
The Geelong cafe, which opened in late 2018, is now closed.
Mr Sehler said Annand knew he had made a “catastrophic” error of judgment.
“He is deeply sorry for his actions,” he said.
“Being charged has been immensely damaging to his personal reputation and caused a lot of public shame.”
The court heard it was the first time Annand had been in trouble with the law.
Magistrate Simon Guthrie sentenced Annand to a twoyear
good behaviour bond, without conviction, and ordered him to pay $1500 to the court fund.
Mr Guthrie said the offending could have attracted a jail term if it had not been for Annand’s guilty plea and evidence provided to the court.