Oscar Birkmann pleads guilty to trafficking dangerous drugs following raid on industrial premises

A search warrant has revealed a father’s discrete drug trafficking business with kilos of cannabis and his own hydroponic set up.

Oskar Bernard Birkmann faced Maroochydore District Court last month. Picture: Facebook

A Kunda Park spray painting apprentice operated a covert drug dealing business and grow operation for years until a targeted raid brought his offending to a halt, a court has heard.

Maroochydore District Court was told last month in detail of Oskar Bernard Birkmann’s discrete drug trafficking side hustle after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges including four counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs.

In sentencing remarks published this month, Judge Glen Cash said the charges went back over a number of years but were only detected last year following a police search of a rented industrial premises at Kunda Park.

Judge Cash said the 33-year-old’s drug dealing was uncovered when police found incriminating messages on his phone, which initially started between September 2017 and March 2018. This was described as “street level” marijuana dealing to a single customer.

Court documents state Birkmann’s illicit trade kicked off again for nine months between September 2018 and June 2019, however the District Court Judge said this was more “substantial”.

Oskar Bernard Birkmann. Picture: Facebook

The 33-year-old was selling to at least three customers during this time, with supplies occurring every two days and in some cases in ounce quantities.

Judge Cash said Birkmann was then found to be dealing a quarter or a half ounce of marijuana to customers every week between October and December 2019.

The District Court Judge said the most serious stint occurred between February and June 2023 where at that stage, the 33-year-old had 20 customers who he was supplying with varying amounts daily.

The court heard Birkmann used an encrypted messaging application to effect his deals.

Police later raided Birkmann’s Kunda Park home where they found a hydroponic growing system which was cultivating marijuana, along with about 2kg of harvested cannabis.

Some amounts were packed into saleable amounts, with at least one which “seemed to be a pound”, Judge Cash said.

Oskar Bernard Birkmann. Picture: Facebook

Further chats on Birkman’s phone also uncovered the possible supply of amphetamine, while $6000 in cash and a bong were also uncovered among other items.

The court heard Birkmann was addicted to marijuana at the time following a prejudicial childhood however had no prior convictions. He had since taken steps to rehabilitate himself from drugs.

The Kunda Park man also had a partner along with a 12-week old child at the time of sentencing, and now lived in Tin Can Bay in the Gympie region.

The District Court Judge said the 33-year-old’s case was “very finely balanced” due to the seriousness of dealers profiting from the sale of illegal drugs by engaging in a “criminal enterprise”.

Judge Cash however told Birkmann he was satisfied he did need to serve actual jail time.

Birkmann was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole.