Grant George Meiers pleads guilty to driving offences, possessing illegal .50 cal ammunition

A convicted drug trafficker claimed live .50 cal ammunition police found at his property were for making jewellery, saying he had sourced them from ‘a friend’. Here’s what happened:

A convicted drug trafficker asked a magistrate if he could have more than 100 rounds of spent ammunition returned to him, saying he used them to make jewellery.

Grant George Meiers, 48, claimed more than 100 rounds of .50 calibre ammunition shells, two of which were live, were obtained “from a friend”.

The style is typically only used in heavy machine guns, or anti-material rifles.

The explanation came as Meiers faced Murgon Magistrates Court for a number of offences dating back to late 2020.

Meiers was one of three people arrested in connection to drug supply in the South Burnett as part of Operation Volta.

The case worked its way to the Supreme Court, where Meiers was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to two years and 10 months in jail.

The remaining summary charges were this week heard in Murgon Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Barry Stevens said during a search of Meiers’ property in November 2020, police found the ammunition as well as a licence that had been stolen during a robbery earlier that year.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair identified the rounds as .50 calibre incendiary rounds, and asked Meiers where he had acquired them.

“I just got it from a friend, I make jewellery from them,” he said.

He also asked if he could have the empty casing that were seized returned to him , with Mr Sinclair telling Meiers he would only order the live round to be forfeited.

Meiers pleaded guilty to possessing the ammunition, driving while disqualified and possessing tainted property.

He was convicted and not further punished.

The live ammunition and driver’s licence were ordered to be forfeited, and Meiers was disqualified from driving for two years.