Jaidan Khan Thorpe, of Prospect, faces District Court for sentencing submissions

A Prospect dad with an “entrenched” drug issue tried to import a pill press from China to pay off his debts – leading to a police investigation that unearthed over $170k worth of drugs.

A young father with an “entrenched” drug addiction had nearly 500g of a meth-like substance intercepted by police after they launched an investigation following his purchase of a pill press machine, a court has heard.

Jaidan Khan Thorpe, 28, appeared in the District Court on Monday via video link in front of Judge Emily Telfer for sentencing submissions – after pleading guilty to two counts of drug trafficking, one count of possessing a controlled drug and one count of attempted drug trafficking.

Jaidan Khan Thorpe, 28, appeared in the District Court on Monday. Picture: Facebook

Thorpe will be sentenced in February. Picture: Facebook

The prosecution told the court a parcel set to be delivered to Thorpe’s Prospect home had been intercepted by police, who located 493g of N-Cyclohexyl Methylone inside – a drug with “similar effects to methamphetamine” that could have been sold for up to $172,000.

“The attempted trafficking file involves a police investigation into a pill press that was imported from China, and it was addressed to the defendant’s address,” they said.

“In his recorded interview, the defendant admitted to police that he was expecting a drug delivery and he was going to hand the parcel onto someone else in order to satisfy a drug debt.”

The prosecution further submitted Police later attended the Comfort Inn Hotel “in relation to an unrelated investigation”, after they received information Thorpe was residing there.

They alleged nearly 40g of drugs was located in plastic bags behind a picture frame in Thorpe’s hotel room, along with 47.9g of GHB hidden inside a coca cola bottle.

Thorpe was initially charged with three counts of drug trafficking after he was alleged to have been caught with GHB and other drugs in February last year.

However, he pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking, and offered to plead guilty to possession instead of the third trafficking charge. Prosecutors were not opposed to the change, and accepted the alternative charge.

His co-accused – and girlfriend – Shanice Maree Flanagan has denied any involvement in the alleged offending and has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.

Thorpe was due to appear in the District Court for sentencing submissions in October last year but, due to the death of a prominent forensic psychologist, his defence counsel applied to adjourn the matter until the new year.

On Monday, Adam Richards, for Thorpe, told the court his client was “selling to provide for his own habit”.

“These offences are ones done continuously to fund what has been an entrenched and deep, personal drug problem.

“There is no evidence, for instance, of him driving expensive cars or living in expensive accommodation. His personal circumstances have always been poor.”

Thorpe will return to court in February for sentencing.