Antonio Mauricio Puelma guilty of supplying cocaine to “the boys”
Text messages between a Queensland hospitality boss and his alleged cocaine dealer have revealed how the successful businessman supplied drugs to ‘the boys’.
Text messages between a successful restaurateur and an alleged cocaine dealer have been revealed as the smoking gun that sparked the qualified chef’s arrest, court documents have revealed.
Antonio Mauricio Puelma, a veteran hospitality boss with links to restaurants and bars on the Sunshine Coast, was found to be an alleged customer of Jayden James Soanes, who has been accused of running his own cocaine trafficking operation.
In the statement of facts tendered in the Mooloolaba man’s sentence in the Maroochydore District Court on Monday, it was revealed Puelma came to the attention of police after they began to investigate the trafficking of drugs in March 2023.
The facts stated the 56-year-old chef and businessman was identified as an alleged customer of Soanes, who was an additional target of the operation.
Telecommunications intercepts obtained by police revealed Puelma would then supply to his friends.
Legal officer Alastair MacKenzie said detectives raided Puelma’s home on March 27 last year and he gave the PIN code to his two phones.
It was here police found five cocaine deals facilitated by Puelma over a two-year period.
Puelma was sentenced on the basis he supplied his friend with an eight ball or 3.5g of cocaine.
Puelma was to be sentenced on the basis that the defendant supplied a person with an unknown quantity of cocaine.
The facts stated Puelma would regularly contact Soanes to buy cocaine for his customers who he referred to as “the boys”.
The next day, the facts stated Soanes allegedly called Puelma and asked if he was “happy” with “how he went”.
Puelma was to be sentenced on the basis he purchased 3.5g of cocaine to supply to another person.
Puelma was to be sentenced on the basis he purchased 7g of cocaine to supply several unknown people with drugs.
The restaurateur would go on to call Soanes on March 1, 2024 where he then negotiated the purchase of an eight ball of cocaine for $1250. He was to be sentenced on the basis he bought 3.5g of cocaine to supply other people.
A trace amount of cocaine in less than 1g was also found in a clip seal bag at Puelma’s home during the raid.
He later attended the police station on April 18 last year where he was charged and given bail.
Defence barrister Simon Lewis said the Chilean-born chef moved to Australia in 1985 and became a successful restaurateur with 27 employees currently.
The barrister said the 56-year-old only supplied the drugs to his circle of mates at cost price and sometimes for no money. He no longer used drugs and was actively involved in donating to charities in the community.
Judge Dominique Grigg accepted that the drugs were for personal use for him and for friends and cited his limited criminal history and deep remorse.
The 56-year-old chef pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying drugs, two of possessing anything used in connection with a crime and one of possessing dangerous drugs.
He was jailed for 18 months, which was immediately suspended for 18 months.
Soanes was charged last year with eight charges including two counts of receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking or supplying and one of trafficking in dangerous drugs.
His matters remain before the courts, and was listed for mention in the Brisbane Supreme Court on November 19. No pleas have been entered.
