Luke Joseph Saliba, 38, busted with more than a kilogram of methamphetamines at Queensland tourist town

A man caught with more than 1kg of methamphetamines at a Queensland coastal tourist town has fronted court. Here’s what happened to him.

A man busted with more than 1kg of methamphetamines at a Queensland tourist town apartment told police the smaller amount in his possession was a mixture of sugar and nail polish, and he was going to sell it in a scam of drug users.

Luke Joseph Saliba, 38, pleaded guilty on May 5 in the Supreme Court at Rockhampton to three counts of possessing more than two grams of a dangerous drug, and one of possessing an item used to commit a drug crime.

Luke Joseph Saliba, 38.

Crown prosecutor Bianca Volling said Saliba was intercepted by police on July 9, 2020, at Cannonvale where police found him in possession of 2.29 grams of meth in 34.321g of substance.

Ms Volling said Saliba told police the substance in his pocket was sugar and he was going to scam someone by selling it to them as “old school gak stuff from back in the 80s”.

She said Saliba told police he had mixed in nail polish remover to give it a chemical smell.

This intercept led police to searching a motel apartment Saliba had booked in his name at Airlie Beach where his partner, Jessica Elizabeth Leech, was located at the time.

The apartment was where police located 72.784g of pure meth in 1,122.69g of substance.

Drugs and items uncovered during a police search in Airlie Beach.

Both Saliba and Leech were charged with Saliba granted bail.

Luke Joseph Saliba, 38, leaving Rockhampton courthouse on May 5, 2022.

About a month later, Saliba was busted with a further 49.061g of meth in 80.827g of substance on August 18, 2020, at Rockhampton.

Police also located a message on Saliba’s phone about an offer he made to supply 1.75g of meth for $1300.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said while Saliba had a long history of battling drug addiction, at the time of these offences, he had not used drugs for some time and the situation was best described as a drug habit.

Justice Peter Davis said he had considered documents provided to the court about Saliba’s mental health, including an in-depth psychological report about his assessment and diagnosis of schizophrenia, and background information which included childhood and other trauma.

He said he surmised from the material that “this offending is likely an episode rather than a way of life” for Saliba.

Justice Davis sentenced Saliba to three years’ prison, declared 186 days pre-sentence custody as time served and released Saliba on parole immediately.

Leech was sentenced in the Supreme Court at Mackay by Justice David North on September 30, 2021, for trafficking drugs.

Drugs and items uncovered during a police search in Airlie Beach.