Cameron James Paul pleaded guilty to drug trafficking

A major player on the Wide Bay meth scene, who used standover tactics and tried to control the price of the drug locally, made more than $100,000 while on Centrelink. Here’s how he was discovered.

A Bundaberg drug trafficker had customers deposit a total of $102,000 into his Indue Cashless Debit Card Account.

This was revealed in Maryborough Supreme Court where Cameron James Paul, 33, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and other related offences.

The court heard his drug empire began unravelling during a police search when he was found with thousands of dollars in cash.

Paul told the officers he had won the money gambling, but Justice Graeme Crow said that was a lie.

An investigation, including analysis of Paul’s phone, would reveal extensive evidence of his meth deals, and the lengths he went to in order to hide his offending, including the use of encrypted messages.

The deposits adding up to $102,000 were made over several months in 2020, the court heard.

During that time, Paul sold meth in wholesale and street amounts, used “standover tactics” to recover debts and tried to control the pricing of meth in Bundaberg.

At the time of his arrest, he declined an interview with police.

Paul, a father of two, had an “impressive work history” the court was told, but at the time of the offending he was unemployed and had a Cashless Debit Card – the card being trialled in the Hinkler electorate which quarantines 80% of the recipient’s Centrelink payment and can’t be used on gambling and alcohol products.

He was embarrassed and ashamed of his offending, the court was told.

Paul had spent almost six months trafficking drugs and had made a substantial profit.

He’s also spent 13 months and 25 days in presentence custody.

Justice Crow said the deposits received in the Indue account could not be withdrawn in cash.

He said drugs caused a great deal of harm in the community, but offenders often felt more sorry for themselves than for the harm they caused in society.

He urged Paul to use his time in prison to reflect on his actions.

Paul was sentenced to seven years in jail, with parole eligibility from February 10, 2023.