Charn Mark Mudgway Sales and Tom James Duggin charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of GHB
An overnight boys’ trip to Mount Gambier was extended when two mates were charged with trafficking in a motor inn car park.
Police & Courts
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Two Adelaide men had their plans to get on “the juice” and “have a good time” foiled when they were allegedly in a motor inn car park with a commercial quantity of drugs, a court heard.
Charn Mark Mudgway Sales, 20 and Tom James Duggin, 30 were arrested in the car park of the Arkana Motor Inn on May 18 after police allege bottles of GHB were discovered in their car.
The pair appeared via video link at the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court on Monday with Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis granting Duggin bail but not Sales who she previously described as a “flight risk”.
The police prosecutor was not opposed to home detention bail provided they had suitable addresses and asked for 12 months to make charge determination.
“It was a huge amount of GHB, 630 grams,” the prosecutor said.
He previously told the court the car was searched after Duggin struggled to start it and an iron pole was spotted.
The court heard they had travelled from Adelaide for one night to see Ryan John Neshoda – who the prosecutor said was also in custody after being arrested on trafficking charges earlier that week.
When interviewed, Sales said he was given the drugs, put them in the car and the co-accused was aware.
“(Police) found two bottles of liquid under the driver’s seat which appeared to be GHB or fantasy,” the prosecutor said.
“They were going to drink it in their room, he knew it was frowned upon but did not know it was illegal.”
Previously, defence lawyer Jonathan Brohier said Sales would not plead guilty to trafficking as he only wanted “a liquid called juice” for a night out in Adelaide.
“He had no intention whatsoever to sell the juice that was provided to him,” Mr Brohier said.
“They were going to have some mutual friends over and have a good time.
“He simply was not trafficking these drugs.”
Last week Mr Brohier argued for bail at a friend’s Blakeview address or a Mount Gambier motel for a week while he found somewhere permanent to live.
On Monday, Magistrate Panagiotidis ordered bail and home detention reports for a Walkerville address with Sales to reappear next week.
At the last appearance, Duggin’s defence lawyer told the court the pair had travelled to Mount Gambier so Sales could purchase a car.
“There is no suggestion other than the words of the co-accused that Mr Duggin had any awareness of the presence of these items in the vehicle,” he said.
Applying for bail at his brother’s Findon home, Duggin’s lawyer invited supervision to curb concerns about his drug use.
Magistrate Panagiotidis granted bail at $550 with a $2000 cash surety to be lodged by Duggin’s brother with his father also to act as guarantor at $2000.
Duggin will reappear in January.
The Arkana Motor Inn contacted The Mount Gambier News to clarify the men were not guests of the motor inn.
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