Billy-Lee Engel busted with 20gms of meth on Bruce Highway

A drug-driving interstate truckie with “a hefty habit” is back on the road despite being convicted of carrying contraband cargo.

Billy-Lee Engel busted with 20gms of meth on Bruce Highway

A truck driver with a “hefty” drug habit can continue to run his business after narrowly avoiding jail and parole restrictions which would have stopped him from leaving Queensland.

Billy-Lee James Engel, 30, faced the prospect of not being able to work in his chosen field for the next three years after he pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Supreme Court to two counts of possessing more than two grams of a schedule one drug, two counts of possessing drug utensils and one of failing to appear in court.

Defence barrister Maree Willey told the court this was because 75 per cent of Engel’s haulage business was interstate – much of it being very short-term notice which would not give him the time to apply to the parole authorities for permission to leave.

The charges stemmed from December 9, 2022 when Engel was intercepted in a Toyota Hilux towing a trailer on the Bruce Hwy at Koumala after allegedly being detected doing 117km/hr in a 100km/hr zone, the court heard.

Justice Graeme Crow said Engel was “twitching” while talking to police, who could smell the scent of freshly sprayed air freshener, and after he returned a positive roadside drug test (Engel was previously convicted of drug driving but his licence has since been reinstated) police searched Engel, the passenger and the vehicle.

“Searches of your name revealed recent police intelligence noting the association with a heavy methamphetamine user, the car you were driving was linked to another person who was involved in a drug driving offence and the owner of the car, noted in police intelligence, was connected with drugs and firearms offences,” he said.

Police found drug related messages on the passenger’s phone, and she possessed 10.7 grams of pure meth, the court heard.

Engel was found in possession of 20.79g of meth in 28.22g concealed in a small cardboard box, along with used glass pipes containing 0.155gms of meth.

He was arrested, charged and released on bail.

Three months later, on February 11 at 11.15pm, police intercepted Engel driving a Nissan Navara at the intersection of Spencer and Bishop Street, The Range.

Police located 5.244 grams of crystal substance in a sunglass case which contained 3.870gms of pure meth.

Engel told police during this search that he “had a hefty habit”.

The court heard Engel had initially used drugs recreationally when he was 20/21 years old and was introduced to meth a year later and used it sporadically until he was 25 when it became a habit.

He was a daily user at the time of these offences but had returned 12 clear drug tests in the 11 months prior to sentencing.

Engel was supported in court by his family.

Justice Crow sentenced him to three years in prison, wholly suspended “so you can go back to work tomorrow” with a three-year operational period.