Emerald’s Taiapa Lucas Genisis Peneha faces deportation over meth dealing

A ‘middle man’ in a Central Queensland methamphetamines drug trafficking operation faces being kicked out of the country over his role in the illegal operation.

generic crystal methamphetamine

A ‘middle man’ in a Central Queensland methamphetamines drug trafficking operation faces deportation after being handed a three-year jail term for his role in the illegal enterprise.

Taiapa Lucas Genisis Peneha pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton Supreme Court to 19 counts of supplying illicit drugs and one count each of receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking or supplying drugs, and possessing a thing used in a crime.

Justice Graeme Crow said the 31-year-old’s offending was revealed in messages to the target of a police operation targeting meth distribution in the Central Highlands and Mackay regions.

He said telecommunication intercepts revealed Peneha’s supplies were ‘small amounts of meth for small amounts of money’.

Justice Crow said of the 19 charges for supplies, only four eventuated while the rest were offers or agreements to supply.

He said shortly after the communication intercepts, Peneha was intercepted driving a Toyota HiLux for a licence check on November 23, 2021.

“You shook heavily while you spoke with the police,” Justice Crow said.

He said Peneha was detained and police located a clip-seal bag containing 0.1g of meth next to the driver’s seat.

Justice Crow said police also located a black magnetic box containing unused clip-seal bags under the seat and $350 cash in Peneha’s wallet.

“(Peneha) told police he uses the box to hide drugs from his associates because they are all drug users,” he said.

“After the search concluded, Peneha sent (the target) telling (her) you just got ‘done leaving her house’.”

Justice Crow said police raided Peneha’s house on December 13, 2021, locating a locked blue box in his bedroom which contained two sets of digital scales, straw scoops and clip seal bags.

Justice Graeme Crow. Pic Annette Dew

Peneha was arrested the next day and told police he was a meth user and had gone to counselling “to do something about it”.

“You denied selling drugs or giving drugs to other people … making money from selling drugs,” Justice Crow said.

“You denied ever giving drugs to people in order to help you own addiction.

“You told police you lost your phone number months prior; denied being the author of the supplies.

“Then police read the message you sent to (the target), that is “I just got done leaving yours” and you couldn’t explain it.”

The court heard Peneha’s criminal record did not start until he was 27 years old with his first charge of possessing a dangerous drug being in August 2018.

Justice Crow said Peneha’s role in the drug trafficking operation was “effectively a middle man”.

He said Peneha, who had started using marijuana when he was 14/15 became friends with a meth user who “put you on the path towards self-destruction”.

“Some people can take a point (of meth) and it can ruin their lives,” Justice Crow said.

Crown prosecutor Joshua Phillips said the sentence range Peneha faced for his crimes was in excess of the 12-month trigger the federal government had set for the deportation of New Zealand-born offenders.

Defence barrister Julie Marsden said her client had engaged assistance from a migration lawyer and wanted to stay in Australia with his family.

“Upon his release, he would like to go back to his family and have their assistance to get back on his feet,” she said.

Justice Graeme Crow said the information provided to him was that Peneha’s father still resided in New Zealand, with Peneha’s mother, stepfather and siblings relocated to Australia in 2012 and Peneha following soon after.

He said Peneha’s employment history included four years working at McDonalds, then driving heavy machinery and scaffolding.

Peneha has two children, a 16-year-old he is in regular contact with and a three-year-old he does not have contact with.

Justice Crow sentenced Peneha to three years’ jail, suspended after 356 days for three years.

Peneha had been remanded in custody since December 14, 2021.

Justice Crow also placed him on probation for three years.