Dean Mitchell Harvey caught with illegal drugs worth nearly $1million

A Queensland drug courier stopped for a routine breath test was busted with huge quantities of meth and cocaine totalling almost $1m.

A courier on a drug run from Rockhampton to Mackay with a meth and cocaine stash worth almost $1m was found out during a routine random breath test. Senior Constable Ray Cook tests a saliva sample. Pic Chris Higgins

A courier on a drug run from Rockhampton to Mackay with a meth and cocaine stash worth almost $1m was found out during a routine random breath test.

Dean Mitchell Harvey, 29, was stopped on the Bruce Highway near Sarina on April 15, 2021 and a routine roadside test revealed he had ice and marijuana in his system, which he admitted consuming to police.

Mackay Supreme Court as a result officers searched his car and found MDMA tablets in the driver’s side door, marijuana oil in a bag on the passenger seat and a huge stash of cocaine and meth in a backpack in the boot.

Crown prosecutor Maryam Yousufzai said Harvey initially claimed the backpack was put there by a friend, but his DNA and fingerprints were found on the handle, strap, and contents.

The court heard there was 7225g of meth in 948.6g of substance - the purity ranged from 75 to 76 per cent.

“The street value is $338,500 if sold in ounce quantities for $10,000 per ounce,” Ms Yousufzai said.

“Also in the backpack … was a substance containing (a) total pure amount of cocaine that was 189.1g, in a substance of 248.5g.

“If the cocaine was sold in ounce quantities for $7000 per ounce, the street value would be $630,000.

“The total value of the drugs is $968,500, so just shy of a million dollars.”

Police have charged a man with 18 drug-related offences, including trafficking. Detectives investigating methylamphetamine supply on the Sunshine Coast monitored and followed a vehicle of interest yesterday from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane with police intercepting the car on Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains. A 33-year-old Golden Beach man was arrested and charged with 18 drug related offences including one count of trafficking dangerous drugs, six counts of supplying dangerous drugs and five counts of possessing dangerous drugs (methylamphetamine and cocaine) - Photo Supplied QLD Police

Harvey pleaded guilty to a string of charges including aggravated drug possession.

Ms Yousufzai said there was a “heavy degree of commerciality” and, though the maximum penalty for the quantity of drugs was 25 years imprisonment, that 11 years would be a suitable punishment.

Barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown said his client’s offending was significant, but argued six years would be more appropriate.

“Effectively, my submission (is) there should be a substantial term of imprisonment to reflect the seriousness of the charges,” Mr Ygoa-McKeown said.

Justice David North highlighted there was a “very strong prosecution case” against Harvey, but said he showed remorse for his offending.

“You were in possession of close to $1m worth of drugs,” Justice North said.

“Plainly you knew that you were transporting a large quantity of drugs to bring them to Mackay.

“Your offending was very serious (where) the quantities … were very significant.”

Harvey was jailed for five years with parole eligibility on March 7, 2024.