Central Queensland bus company owner Frederick Jesse Rowe caught with drugs, rifle, ammo

The man was busted during a police drug operation after officers executed a search warrant at a Central Queensland cattle station. Here’s what happened.

A Central Queensland cattleman was busted with drugs. Generic image.

The owner/operator of a Central Queensland bus company has faced court after being busted with cannabis, a rifle and ammunition.

Frederick Jesse Rowe, 39, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on June 22 to possessing dangerous drugs, possessing a weapon and possessing explosives.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Darrell Dalton said Rowe was caught during a police drug operation in the Baralaba community.

Sgt Dalton said on March 16, police executed a search warrant at Cooper Downs Cattle Station where Rowe resided.

The prosecutor said that on the kitchen bench, police found three clip-seal bags of cannabis, and in a cupboard they found 18 cannabis seeds.

Sgt Dalton said in a bedroom, police found a Category A rifle which Rowe said he used to shoot snakes.

Rowe did not hold a weapons licence.

During the search, police also found ammunition, Sgt Dalton said.

The court heard the total amount of cannabis found was 24g and that Rowe had no history of this sort in the past five years.

Solicitor Madison Kurtz said Rowe was a father and a former coal miner who had owned and operated a bus company at Baralaba for the past nine years.

Ms Kurtz said Rowe resided at the cattle property which was owned by he and his father.

“He also operates that property outside of his bus run,” Ms Kurtz said.

The solicitor said Rowe suffered from anxiety and mild pain and he used cannabis for those conditions as well as to help him sleep.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined Rowe $1100 and ordered forfeiture of the rifle and ammunition.

No conviction was recorded.