Maree Ann Johnson pleads guilty to drug trafficking on Sunshine Coast

Discounts, deliveries and $47,000 were part of a Sunshine Coast mum’s drug trafficking operation when she was arrested 11 days after a previous drug dealing sentence.

A Sunshine Coast mum lasted only 11 days in freedom after being sentenced for dealing drugs before she was busted for trafficking meth in Maroochydore.

Maree Ann Johnson, 41, was handed more jail time after she pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court in early-May to trafficking ice over several months in 2021.

Court documents state detectives began an operation in June, 2020 targeting the drug trafficking in Maroochydore with the main player of the operation supplying meth to Johnson’s co-accused.

Justice Elizabeth Wilson said in court documents Johnson’s co-accused was onselling it to his customers until the morning of March 16, 2021.

A police raid of Johnson’s home uncovered a plethora of drugs and utensils which included small amounts of MDMA, meth, marijuana, steroids, clip seal bags and syringes.

Maree Ann Johnson.

Detectives analysed some mobile phones and Samsung tablets found in the home and discovered messages from June 21, 2020 to March 17, 2021 – a period of more than eight months – which revealed Johnson and her co-accused had dealt in street level amounts of meth.

The court heard they could also source and deal larger amounts on request, as well as sourcing marijuana.

Overall 44 actual supplies were found with the majority being ice, with another 14 offers of supply found.

Johnson would conduct day-to-day sales and sold 0.1g to 0.3g but could access 1.75g when customers requested it, the court documents state.

Texts and Facebook messages would roll in for the pair with pick-up arrangements – organised like a legitimate business – while delivery was extra.

Judge Wilson said Johnson even sold on credit from time to time while pursuing debts from their customers, with tick sheets found at their home during the raid.

Maree Ann Johnson leaving Maroochydore District Court in 2021.

Court documents state Johnson negotiated prices and had $47,000 of unexplained money go through her bank accounts.

The raid on Johnson’s home occurred only 11 days after she was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail with immediate parole in Maroochydore District Court on March 5, 2021 after pleading guilty to supplying drugs.

Johnson’s defence counsel said the mother was a heroin addict and struggled to keep a job after she suffered a serious brain injury in a car crash in 2011.

Court documents state the former lollipop lady’s drug use ramped up in 2018 and 2019 before she “spiralled out of control”.

Johnson pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, four counts of possessing drugs, and one of possessing property suspected to have been acquired for the purpose of committing a drug offence and three summary offences.

She was given a head sentence of two years’ jail with a parole eligibility set after serving half of the sentence.

Convictions were recorded.