Duo charged with 3.19kg meth possession at Sarina
Two men allegedly caught with a huge meth stash totalling more than $1.3m in street level sales have applied for bail with the mother of one offering a $100k surety for each.
Police & Courts
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The mother of a young man held in custody on remand after police allegedly busted him with a massive amount of meth south of Mackay has offered to put up the $100k needed to secure his cousin’s release on bail.
Brandon Saysana Phommaly, 25, and Pokee Oscar Phalaklang, 19 were in a rented Toyota RAV4 when police stopped them on Broad St, Sarina for allegedly speeding about 9.45pm on July 22, 2023.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard officers searched the vehicle and allegedly uncovered 3.195kg of meth in bags stashed in the footwell behind the driver’s seat as well as a small amount of cocaine and more than $9000 in cash and the duo, from New South Wales, were arrested.
The meth has a wholesale value of about $400,000 but could fetch up to about $1.38m if sold by the point at street level.
Both men, who are distant cousins and represented by Fisher Dore Lawyers as town agent for NSW firm KPT Legal, applied for bail this month.
Defence solicitor Antoinette Morton submitted the vehicle search in the first instance was without a warrant.
“So there is a question as to whether the search of the vehicle … is lawful,” she said, adding the drugs needed to be analysed as this would inform any supreme court determination on whether there had been any prejudice against her client.
The court heard there would not be an analyst certificate until sometime next year.
Ms Morton took issue with arguments within the bail objection alleging her client was “strongly linked to large scale drug offending with a number of pro criminal associates”.
She also told the court Mr Phommaly’s mother was able to put up a surety of between $20,000 and $100,000 to secure her son’s bail.
Acting Magistrate John Aberdeen said there was no information explaining Mr Phommaly’s presence in Sarina in a speeding car and that the evidence was “quite strong”.
His bail was rejected.
The court heard Mr Phommaly’s mother also offered a $100,000 surety for co-accused Mr Phalaklang, who had been driving the vehicle that night and allegedly travelling 101km/h in a 70km/h zone sparking the police stop.
The court heard Mr Phalaklang had no criminal history.
Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan granted Mr Phalaklang bail on strict conditions including residential, reporting twice weekly, no contact with his cousin and he must surrender his passport.
He will not be released until Mr Phommaly’s mother organises the $100k surety.
Both men have been charged with aggravated drug possession, while Mr Phommaly is also charged with possessing the cocaine and cash.
No pleas have been entered.
All matters are adjourned until January 17, 2024.
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