Tahlia Jade Harris sentenced for posting drugs into jail

The code words used by a mum-of-three and her former partner as they attempted to smuggle drugs into jail have been revealed in a Sunshine Coast court.

Tahlia Jade Harris leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A mum-of-three who lost her home and car was pressured into a prison smuggling operation to send drugs to her ex-partner behind bars.

The code words used by Landsborough woman Tahlia Jade Harris, 29, were revealed when she pleaded guilty to one count of supplying drugs within a correctional facility in Maroochydore District Court on Monday, October 30.

Harris had been pressured by her ex-partner, whose jailing had cost her family a roof over their heads, to send the drugs into prison.

The young mum tried to send buprenorphine strips, referred to in phone calls between the pair as “subbies” or “subway” to her ex-partner in jail in 2021.

Court documents state the strips were posted along with drawings by the pair’s children under the name “Tahlia Denniss”.

The documents also reveal Harris told police in an interview that during the pandemic each strip would sell for $1000 in prison.

Tahlia Jade Harris leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“Subbies” or Suboxone is the brand name of buprenorphine, according to the documents.

Crown Prosecutor Elle Bolam told the court the package, which contained 15 strips, was intercepted by staff at the jail.

“The defendant posted an envelope containing 15 buprenorphine strips to her partner in prison, the package was intercepted by prison staff before it reached him,” Ms Bolam said.

“After this occurred he called her from prison, which was recorded, and they referred to the package being detected.”

Court documents reveal Harris told her former partner, in the recorded phone call, the mail had her name on it after he told her it had been intercepted.

He responded by saying “yeah let’s not talk about it on the phone”.

Harris’ defence barrister Lily Brisick told the court the 29-year-old has three children to the intended recipient of the package.

“(The partner’s) incarceration led to my client and her kids losing the house and also their car,” Ms Brisick said.

Ms Brisick told the court Harris was pressured by the ex-partner to send the strips and she did so to “get him off her back”.

“He had someone deliver them to her house, she says he was constantly hassling her to provide the “subbies” or “subway” when he was on the phone to her or to send him money to buy drugs in prison,” Mr Brisick said.

District Court Judge Paul Smith told the court Harris can expect to spend time behind bars if she was to come back before the court.

“If you come back again you will go to jail and there will be longer and longer periods, you’ve got these children to look after so it would be pretty selfish on your part to do further offending,” Mr Smith said.

Harris was sentenced to nine months’ jail with immediate parole.