Matthew James Long’s defence tells Noosa Magistrates Court they cannot play bluray evidence

A magistrate has told a Noosa court that a case involving alleged drug trafficking, stealing and fraud needs to proceed as police ask for a six-week adjournment.

A solicitor has told a Noosa court that evidence police handed over to the defence in a cocaine trafficking and fraud case cannot be accessed.

Matthew James Long, 33, of Lennox Head faces charges in the Noosa Magistrates Court including drug trafficking, stealing and 28 counts of fraud – dishonestly gain benefit/advantage carries on the business.

Court documents obtained by the Sunshine Coast Daily showed the gym owner, who used to live at Sunshine Beach, has been charged with one count of trafficking in dangerous drugs, namely cocaine, between May 23, 2020 and March 17, 2021 at Sunshine Beach.

He has also been charged with importing or exporting commercial quantities of border controlled drugs or plants.

The court documents show that charge related to the alleged importation of cocaine between September 22, 2020 and October 28, 2020 in Noosaville.

During a mention in the Noosa Magistrates Court on July 5, 2022, solicitor Anna Smith said a bluray disc containing evidence that police had handed over to the defence could not be played.

She said Long’s defence had tried to play the disc on Macs, PCs and a bluray player they bought for the task.

Matthew James Long’s case was mentioned in the Noosa Magistrates Court on July 5, 2022.

Ms Smith said the defence did not know which charges the evidence related to.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Alison Johnstone told the court the arresting officer and corroborating officer were on leave but would return later in July.

“The arresting officer is in a lot of contact with the solicitor involved and will get that material to them,” she said.

The police prosecutor also said Dutch and New Zealand agencies were finalising statements in the case.

Sergeant Johnstone asked for a six-week adjournment.

She said Long was on Supreme Court bail and the bail had been varied so he was not in any particular restraint.

The defendant was not in the Noosa court for the latest mention.

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said in the next three months the case would need to proceed.

“It’s getting close to the point where we’ll have to set it down for a committal,” he said.

The magistrate adjourned the case until August 16.

Long faces charges of:

1x supplying dangerous drugs

1x stealing

1x fraud – dishonestly gain benefit/advantage carries on the business

1x clearance required to carry on regulated business

1x attempted importing or exporting commercial quantities of border controlled drugs or plants

1x trafficking in dangerous drugs

2x supplying dangerous drugs

1x possessing anything used in the commission of a crime defined in part 2

2x possess tainted property

1x importing or exporting commercial quantities of border controlled drugs or plants

1x fraud – dishonestly induces delivery of property

28x fraud – dishonestly gain benefit/advantage carries on the business

1x attempting to pervert justice.