Ipswich tradie Eramiha Neke Ihaia sentenced for Snapchat drug operation

A court heard the full extent of this Ipswich tradie’s drug dealing operation would be impossible to uncover due to his social media platform of choice.

Eramiha Neke Ihaia leaving the Ipswich Courthouse on February 20, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

An Ipswich tradie faced potential deportation this week after his social media drug dealing operation was uncovered.

Riverview event installer Eramiha Neke Ihaia, 27, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on February 20, 2023, to trafficking dangerous drugs (cannabis), supplying a schedule 1 drug (MDMA), and possessing property used in the commission of a crime (a mobile phone).

The court heard Ihaia had trafficked cannabis at a “street level” over a six-month period from February to August, 2021.

During that time, he also offered to supply two grams of methamphetamine to an individual.

The court heard police had searched Ihaia’s house on August 26, 2021, and uncovered the phone he had used to organise transactions.

Crown prosecutor Jessica Beckman said Ihaia had communicated with his buyers over Facebook and Snapchat.

The Snapchat app enables individuals to send messages that are only available to be viewed for a short time.

Ms Beckman said the Crown had evidence of 12 separate instances where Ihaia arranged to supply drugs, but the “breadth of the business, as a result of the use of Snapchat, is obviously unable to be fully identified”.

Eramiha Neke Ihaia leaving the Ipswich Courthouse on February 20, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

The court heard Ihaia had engaged in drug dealing to fund his own drug use.

Ms Beckman noted, however, that messages found on Ihaia’s phone had said his “business” was doing well, which she said suggested that there was “at least some commercial benefit to the trafficking”.

Defence barrister Bruce Mumford said his client had moved to Australia from New Zealand in 2016 and had worked “regularly” in various roles since then.

He said it would be mandatory for Ihaia’s visa to be cancelled if he were sentenced to actual time in custody.

If the judge saw fit to grant Ihaia immediate parole or a wholly suspended sentence, however, he would have a chance of remaining in Australia.

Judge Dennis Lynch noted Ihaia had a limited criminal history – albeit a relevant one.

The court heard Ihaia had been fined in 2018 for supplying cannabis, along with one charge of enter dwelling with intent.

Judge Lynch said he accepted the commercial element of Ihaia’s dealings was “most likely to fund [his] own habit”.

Given Ihaia’s relatively young age, lack of major criminal history, and the minimal amount of transactions that the Crown could prove had been made throughout the six month period of offending, Judge Lynch said he was “persuaded” that actual time in custody would be unnecessary.

He sentenced Ihaia to two years imprisonment with immediate parole release.

Convictions were recorded.