Dealer read riot act
Judge details horrific toll of drugs in society
A GOLD Coast body builder who made more than $200,000 from peddling illegal drugs in seven months has felt the wrath of a Brisbane judge for the role drugs play in society.
Darren Troy Viellaris’ Southport cocaine and cannabis operation came undone after his phone was put under police surveillance and he sold about $20,000 in cannabis to an undercover cop.
The 39-year-old was also found with about 550 MDMA pills and $12,000 cash.
In total, he made about $222,000 from selling wholesale and street-level quantities of drugs between September 2013 and April 2014, the Brisbane Supreme Court was told.
Viellaris was yesterday sentenced to seven-and-ahalf years in jail after pleading guilty to drug offences including trafficking.
In illustrating the damaging effects cannabis has on society, Justice Jean Dalton used the case of Cairns mother Raina Thaiday, who fatally stabbed her children in 2014 and was found of unsound mind.
Ms Dalton described the Thaiday case as the “most shocking” example of druginduced psychosis to reach court in recent times.
“The unanimous opinion ... is that she didn’t know what she was doing ... cannabis caused that,” she said.
“The level of that tragedy I can’t comprehend in emotional terms.”
The court also heard Viellaris had “problems” with his former defence barrister after he threatened him when he was due to go to trial.
The court heard Viellaris’ drug operation had been so sophisticated he had two other people – including his girlfriend, Shannon Goodwin – working for him.
Despite the fact she packed and weighed drugs, she “wasn’t aware of the extent of his enterprise”, the court heard. She already has faced court.