Drug dealer busted with list

A NORTH Queensland woman has been busted dealing drugs bought in bulk in Townsville and in possession of a detailed list of customers.

Appearing in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday, Tania Tetyarnorm Marama, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing two water pipes, possessing two-and-a-half ounces of cannabis and possessing dangerous drugs for supply.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Rachel Todd said Ingham police executed a search warrant on Marama’s Ingham home on September 22, discovering a total of 69.5g of dry cannabis neatly packaged in clip-seal bags.

She said police also found three sets of scales and a notebook that contained a list of names and how much money she was owed.

Sergeant Todd said Marama admitted to buying cannabis in bulk in Townsville and that she used the scales to carefully measure the drugs “so she doesn’t rip people off”.

She said that even though the defendant had a limited and dated criminal history, a term of imprisonment was warranted, even if wholly suspended, to send a message to the community that drug dealing was unacceptable.

Defence lawyer Margaret Crowther said her client, who was born on Thursday Island, began smoking cannabis for medicinal reasons “which then morphed into the supply of small amounts of cannabis to persons that she knew”. She said her client’s arrest had served as a wake-up call “and she’s certainly very embarrassed about being in court”.

Acting Magistrate Scott Luxton said Marama’s mature age was against her in terms of community service.

She was convicted, fined $600 and jailed for one month, wholly suspended for one year.