'Speed King' sent to jail for 10 years

AN Ilbilbie man who was a key player in a multi-million dollar drug syndicate that supplied the Rebels Motorcycle Club has been sentenced to 10 years jail.

AN Ilbilbie man who was a key player in a multi-million dollar drug syndicate that supplied the Rebels Motorcycle Club has been sentenced to 10 years jail.

Michael Paul Falzon, 50, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday after being found guilty by a jury of trafficking a dangerous drug.

Falzon was also found guilty of one count of possessing and three counts of producing a dangerous drug. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court heard that between 1999 and 2003, at various properties outside Mackay, Rockhampton and Dalby, Falzon helped produce and traffick methylamphetamine, or ice.

During the sentencing, Justice Roslyn Atkinson said Falzon was the “brains of the operation”.

He made at least $1.5 million profit and with that money bought “massive” amounts of opal mining machinery.

Justice Atkinson labelled the case as a “very unusual one”, as Falzon was retaining the majority of the profits in the illegal business partnership with a “thug” named James O'Brien.

She said the only benefits O'Brien apparently received in the partnership were a car, a $79,000 property and a vague promise that he'd be looked after when he was old.

The court heard drugs produced in the operation were mainly handled by O'Brien and supplied to the Rebels Motorcycle Club, with some of it travelling as far as South Australia. She said Falzon, who was not a user, was at the “top of the tree” and had paid for an accountant to try to make the money look legitimate.

“This drug reaches its dreadful tentacles into all forms of society,” Justice Atkinson said.

“This is not a victimless crime.

“You had no thought of that, only the massive amounts of money you could make.”

Justice Atkinson said the case was particularly depressing as Falzon had a strong work ethic.

“You didn't have to take up this life of crime,” she said.

“None of this was necessary, it was choice.”

She said mitigating circumstances were admissions made by Falzon in the trial, his limited criminal history and the fact he had not re-offended since being arrested in 2004.

Falzon was also automatically given a declaration of committing a serious violent offence, which means he will have to serve 80 per cent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

Originally published as 'Speed King' sent to jail for 10 years