Insurance broker Benjamin Craig Price in court for possessing cocaine

The managing director of a Sunshine Coast insurance broker has faced court after police found two bags of cocaine on him during a search.

Benjamin Craig Price appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on April 8. Photo: Bridgewise Insurance Brokers

A Sunshine Coast insurance broker who leads his own firm was busted carrying bags of cocaine by patrolling police officers.

Benjamin Craig Price pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on April 8 to one count of possessing cocaine and one of contravening a police direction

Price is the managing director of Bridgewise Insurance Brokers and Luxury Home Insurance.

Police prosecutor James Allen told the court police were conducting patrols on Main St, Airlie Beach on March 15 and randomly stopped two males, one being Price, about 11.40pm for a scan.

Officers began conducting the scan and asked Price to empty a pocket after the metal detector went off.

Mr Allen said police noticed a small clip seal bag with white powder after he produced the items from his pocket, and Price had attempted to hide the bag but dropped it on the ground.

Police then detained Price for a further search and found another bag in his front pocket, the court heard.

Each bag contained 0.03g of cocaine, Mr Allen told the court.

He was then charged of contravening a police direction on March 23 when he did not attend a police station to hand over his identifying particulars within seven days.

Defence lawyer Louise White told the court Price has been living on the Sunshine Coast since 2010 working as an insurance broker and started his own company in 2019.

Ms White said Price had been a high level athlete as a cyclist since the age of five and has recently reginited his passion for the sport, having scheduled races over the next six months.

“He was a bronze medalist running champ,” Ms White said.

She told the court the offending was out of character for her client and he had misplaced his notice saying he had to attend the station after the night of offending.

The court heard he then attended the station as soon as he was contacted by police.

Ms White said he will be getting married this year and he is the father of twins.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan placed him on a good behaviour bond of $200 and did not record a conviction for the charge of possessing cocaine.

Price was fined $150 for the contravention of a police requirement and a conviction was recorded.