Joshua Matthew Barr pleads guilty to trafficking drugs in Brisbane Supreme Court

An innocuous message in a Sunshine Coast supermarket worker’s group chat while he was pulled over by police led to his “street level” drug business come crumbling down around him.

Joshua Matthew Barr leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court on a previous occasion. Picture: Chelsea Heaney

A young Sunshine Coast drug dealer had his booming business uncovered after police saw an incriminating group chat appear on his phone when he was intercepted for a roadside drug test.

Sentencing remarks from the Supreme Court in Brisbane published this week reveal how Joshua Matthew Barr’s narcotic side hustle was blown open after he was intercepted by police while driving on February 23, 2023 on the Sunshine Coast.

Judge Tom Sullivan told the court during this intercept police saw a notification from a group chat called “Illicit Pharmaceuticals” pop up on the then 19-year-old’s phone.

Analysis of the conversation revealed the Nambour man was selling “street level” quantities of mostly marijuana to a customer base of 25 people.

Barr however would on sell “any and all drugs” available to him, with some drugs including LSD, meth, MDMA, marijuana edibles and pharmaceuticals.

Court documents say there were 71 actual or offered supplies overall.

Investigations revealed Barr communicated on phone applications including Telegram and Signal, where he would accept cash for drug deals, or trade for other narcotics.

Barr pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Picture: Chelsea Heaney

Justice Sullivan said because of this, profits from his trafficking operation could not be quantified by police.

The court heard the now 21-year-old ran his operation like a business, having a stock and price list he would send to his customers.

Barr told a customer in November 2023 he could “now sell ounces”, but the cheapest the 20-year-old could sell for was $380 to $400 for “A-grade cannabis”. The court heard he’d only profit $50 from this deal.

He would also offer a delivery service to customers for an additional fee.

The Supreme Court Justice said as the Nambour man’s business grew, his trafficking period progressed.

The 21-year-old was sentenced in the Brisbane Supreme Court earlier this year. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The court heard Barr supplied from three or four days a month for the first five months, but by October 2022, the supplies doubled.

For the four final months the drug deals occurred every second day, with some days involving multiple supplies.

Justice Sullivan said police also found a gallery on Barr’s phone which had multiple photos of cannabis and pharmaceutical drugs, as well as “menus of stock” held by the 21-year-old which were available to buy.

“The somewhat disturbing aspect of that is that there was a level of sophistication to this trafficking,” Justice Sullivan said.

“Even though it was at street level, you were using electronic devices with menus and marketing to street-level customers.”

In mitigation, Justice Sullivan said the Coles supermarket worker was diagnosed with some mental health conditions, co-operated with police, was youthful and had rehabilitated from drugs since being charged, which went in his favour.

The Supreme Court Justice said from the material before the court, the 21-year-old did not profit to a commercial or wholesale level either.

Barr pleaded guilty to trafficking in dangerous drugs and was sentenced to three years’ jail but was given immediate parole.