Man facing 260 drug charges
40-y-o charged with 252 counts of supplying ‘ice’
A KINGSTHORPE man charged with 252 counts of supplying “ice” as well as other drug-related charges has been granted bail after appearing in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court.
Brigham Michael Taylor was charged on Wednesday with a range of offences including trafficking in dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking or supplying drugs, possessing anything used in the commission of a drug offence, possessing drug utensils, and 252 counts of supplying a dangerous drug.
The charges arose from police Operation Quebec Oxygen which had targeted drug activity across the Darling Downs.
Detective Senior Constable Digby Ford of the Dalby Criminal Investigation Branch said the operation was based in the Dalby area but as investigations continued it took in a broader net leading to the arrests in Kingsthorpe on Toowoomba’s western outskirts this week.
“The operation has been ongoing for some months,” he said.
After his arrest, Taylor was held in custody overnight before appearing in court where his barrister David Jones, instructed by David Burns Lawyers solicitor Amber Acreman, applied for bail.
Police objected to Taylor’s application for bail based on the seriousness and number of charges.
However, Mr Jones argued that his client’s two co-accused, a man and a woman who were yet to appear in court, had been granted watch house bail and that the woman had more charges than his client and had a similar criminal history.
His client was willing to abide by all bail conditions set by the court and would attend drug counselling if required while on remand, Mr Jones said.
Taylor was not required to enter any pleas to the charges and no specific details of the police allegations were aired in court.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Julia Wheaton asked for an eight week adjournment so police could prepare a brief of evidence on the matter.
Magistrate Graham Lee granted Taylor bail on strict conditions and adjourned all of his matters for committal mention back in the same court on November 11.