Court: Taiapa Lucas Genisis Peneha accused of drug trafficking in Central Highlands

An accused drug trafficker captured in intercepted phone conversations using codes when discussing drug matters allegedly supplied drugs 19 times.

A meth user allegedly supplied drugs 19 times.

An accused drug trafficker captured in intercepted phone conversations using codes when discussing drug matters allegedly supplied two people with drugs 19 times.

Taiapa Lucas Genisis Peneha, 31, made an application for bail in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton on November 7.

He has 22 outstanding charges before the courts including one count of trafficking drugs, 19 counts of supplying drugs, one count of receiving property obtained from trafficking drugs and one of possessing an item used in the commission of a drug crime.

The court heard Mr Peneha, a methamphetamines user, had already spent almost 11 months in presentence custody in relation to the alleged trafficking offences.
Justice Crow said Mr Peneha’s alleged offending was detected during a police operation targeting meth distribution in the Central Highlands area in December 2020.

He said it was alleged Mr Peneha supplied at least 6.6 grams of methamphetamines to two people on 19 occasions during a seven-week trafficking period and referred to the police operation’s target as “boss”.

Mr Peneha, who represented himself during the bail application, raised concerns he would spend too much time in custody regardless of if he fought the trafficking charge or was sentenced next year as he would only be eligible for parole due to the alleged offending occurring while he was on parole.

A discussion between Justice Graeme Crow and Crown prosecutor Alana Murray resulted in bringing the potential trial or sentence forward to a December date.

Mr Peneha told the court his alleged offending started in 2019 after the breakdown of a 10-year relationship with the mother of his child and he started using drugs.

“This is the longest period of time in the past three years I haven’t used meth,” he said.

“I now understand where I’ve gone wrong.”

Justice Crow said Mr Peneha had a good employment history before 2019.

He said a probation report provided to the court showed “a rather mixed record” in that he reported as directed and made ongoing admissions of marijuana use.

“He was referred to Lives Lived Well for his substance abuse,” Justice Crow said.

He said Mr Peneha was subjected to urine analysis testing and in September (2021), he returned a positive result for amphetamine and methamphetamines.

Justice Crow said Mr Peneha had been released on parole in July 2021 and the alleged trafficking and drug supply offending took place between early October and November 17, 2021.

He was remanded in custody for the alleged offences on December 14, 2021.

Justice Crow denied Mr Peneha bail and remanded him in custody.

Mr Peneha’s newly appointed lawyer Rebecca Harris provided the court with an update on November 23.

She said the submission defence sent to the Crown prosecution had been accepted and Mr Peneha would be sentenced on December 5, which the court had already scheduled.