Woman on drug charges

Goodwood arrest after three-month operation

A GOODWOOD woman has been charged for allegedly trafficking $200,000 worth of methylamphetamine.

Kellie Maree Umgeher, 38, was arrested on Thursday as part of a three-month police operation following the search of a Goodwood home where two shortened firearms were also seized. The woman appeared in Hobart Magistrates

Court on Thursday afternoon facing charges including trafficking in a controlled substance, possessing a thing used for administering a controlled drug and possessing a firearm and ammunition without the appropriate firearms licence. Ms Umgeher also goes by the surname Rhodes, with initial reports on Thursday naming her Kellie Maree Rhodes.

According to court documents, the alleged offences occurred between July 2 and September 22 this year.

Police alleged in the documents Ms Umgeher possessed two shortened rifles without an appropriate licence, including a rifle that had been shortened to less than 65cm, and had allegedly possessed 91 rounds of ammunition and several cartridges. The court documents also alleged Ms Umgeher possessed an ice pipe.

Ms Umgeher’s defence lawyer Dinesh Loganathan said his client would not apply for bail. He sought an adjournment.

Magistrate Sam Mollard adjourned her charges to reappear in the Hobart Magistrates Court next Thursday.

Shortly before the court proceedings began on Thursday, Detective Acting Inspector Mathew Adams said the disruption of the syndicate was a step towards ensuring illicit drugs were kept off the streets.

“Police not only work hard to seize illicit substances, they also work to disrupt syndicates and networks,” Detective Acting Inspector Adams said.