’Mother lode’ haul ends in jail
A CAIRNS businessman arrested carrying what Justice James Henry described as a “mother lode of drugs” aided in trafficking methylamphetamine and cocaine in part because he did not want to disappoint his friends.
Cairns Supreme Court on Wednesday heard that Christopher John Lindenmayer, 56, had stored substantial sums of cash and drugs from late 2019 at his pharmaceutical business for his associates Glenn Smith – whom he knew as “Chooka” – and his son Brett.
Smith, 57, pleaded guilty to four counts of dangerous drug possession and one count each of drug trafficking, possessing anything used in connection with a crime and property suspected of being proceeds of an offence, and was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment in Cairns on October 11.
Brett Smith will be sentenced for drug trafficking and contravening an order to access an electronic device on December 12.
Lindenmayer would take small amounts of cocaine for personal use for payment, and Chooka would shout him drinks occasionally, the court heard.
As time progressed he would meet Smith at his home, where he would socialise and take a few lines of cocaine.
The court heard it was obvious Smith used Lindenmayer to distance himself from large amounts of drugs and cash.
Lindenmayer guessed the amounts of money he stored were $40,000-$50,000, and Justice Henry said he had aided a wholesale drug trafficking business.
Police placed a covert listening device at Smith’s home and in January 2021 the Smiths bought a substantial quantity of drugs for distribution.
On January 21, Smith texted Lindenmayer to collect them for storage.
He told Lindenmayer there was nearly half a kilo of cocaine and speed, and told Lindenmayer he could keep some of the drugs for his own use.
Police stopped Lindenmayer after he left and he was found with 264.8g of methamphetamine gross, (22.9 pure); 701g cocaine gross, (317.77g pure); and a further 111.2g of meth; (72g pure).
He had hidden some of the drugs down his trousers.
“On any view this was a mother lode of three sets of schedule one drugs,” Justice Henry said.
Justice Henry noted that Lindenmayer’s background was largely unremarkable with a successful working life in his pharmaceutical business.
The court heard Lindenmayer had an “avoidant personality disorder”, would do anything to avoid conflict and did not want to disappoint his friends. Two references attested he could not say no to doing a person a favour, and that he was “without the ability to say no to people”.
The judge said Lindenmayer had not enjoyed a commercial benefit, but might have some “vicarious excitement” from the enterprise.
Lindenmayer underwent substantial rehabilitation since the offending, had not used drugs and continued to work in his business. Lindenmayer was sentenced to three years, seven months’ imprisonment, suspended after 10 months.