Jessica Ali handed a suspended sentence for border drug bust

A mother-of-four busted on the border was attempting to transport hundreds of MDMA tablets into SA to “get people off her back” over her ex’s debts.

A woman who involved herself in the drug trade to “get people off her back” has completely turned her life around.

Jessica Ali, 32, dodged jail for her decision to traffic drugs to try and pay off an ex-partner’s debt.

The Adelaide District Court last week heard police stopped a car at Oodla Wirra, on the South Australian side of the New South Wales-South Australian border on May 31, 2020.

Ali was the front passenger in the car, with two other people.

“Police became suspicious because the occupants gave different accounts of their reasons for travelling to Adelaide,” Judge Gordon Barrett said during sentencing.

The car was searched.

Police found 282 MDMA tablets weighing over 50g and $13,950 secreted in the glove compartment.

The court heard the MDMA was valued between $3000 and $8500.

“You were involved in the trafficking of MDMA to pay off a debt by your ex-partner who had been physically abusive towards you,” Judge Barrett said.

“You were also using drugs. This was a one-off event.”

The court heard Ali’s ex-partner was in custody at the time.

Jessica Ali avoided jail for trafficking MDMA. Picture: Facebook

Ali, of Kingston South East, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

The court heard Ali’s life spiralled out of control once she entered the abusive relationship but has since completely turned her life around.

Nick Vadasz, for Ali, told the court during sentencing submissions she was extremely remorseful for her involvement in the crime.

“She acted very stupidly at the time but she wanted to get these people off her back,” he said.

“She was not in any way involved in the trade in any other manner.”

The court heard Ali, who is a mother-of-four, including triplets, works at a service station in Robe.

Judge Barrett sentenced Ali to three years and eight months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and three months.

It was suspended on a three-year, $1000 good behaviour bond, with supervision for 18 months.