Carly Therese Anderson: Drug trafficking mum faces Brisbane Supreme Court

A drug trafficking mum faced court after police found $17,000 cash, meth, marijuana, bullets and a crossbow during a raid of her home.

A couple’s lucrative drug trafficking ring came to an end when a police raid uncovered $17,000 cash and more than 90g of pure methylamphetamine in their bedroom.

On Friday, 38-year-old Sunshine Coast mum Carly Therese Anderson was sentenced for her role in the major trafficking operation.

The Brisbane Supreme Court heard that Anderson’s offending was revealed through a police sting targeting her then partner’s trafficking operation.

Anderson’s partner was running a meth trafficking ring with six agents, at least 15 customers and he had made at least 82 supplies ranging in quantities from 0.2g to 10 ounces.

Anderson was charged with trafficking after she “assisted” her partner for about six weeks between July and August 2020.

On August 12, 2020, police raided the couple’s Maroochydore house and uncovered 93.61g of pure methylamphetamine in their bedroom, as well as marijuana and marijuana seeds, about $17,000 cash next to their bed and $200 in Anderson’s purse.

Police also found a taser, a crossbow, bullets, knuckledusters, flick knives, syringes, digital scales and $50 in counterfeit money.

Anderson and her partner were home at the time of the raid and she was taken to the police station where she declined an interview and refused to give police the passcode to her phone, the court heard.

Anderson’s defence lawyer said the Coast mum had suffered significant addiction and had been subjected to domestic violence in the past, which contributed to her “acquiescence” to engage in criminal activity for her partner.

He said Anderson moved in with her partner and then began assisting him in his “business” for both financial reward and drugs.

The court heard Anderson was now living with her father and grandmother and had obtained employment.

The mum pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of trafficking in dangerous drugs, two counts of supplying dangerous drugs, two counts of supplying schedule 1 dangerous drugs and one count of possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 3 but less than schedule 4.

She also pleaded guilty to further charges including:

• four counts of unlawful possession of weapons category A, B or M
• possessing counterfeit money
• possessing a dangerous drug specified in schedule 1 or 2
• possessing anything for use in the commission of crime defined in part 2
• failure to properly dispose of needle and syringe
• unlawful possession of weapons category D, H or R,
• receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking or supplying
• authority required to possess explosives
• possess utensils or pipes etc for use
• contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically

Justice David Boddice said while the drug trafficking ring was her partner’s, Anderson played an “active” role in the operation.

Justice Boddice said he would take into account her guilty plea, her personal circumstances, her taking care of her youngest child and the steps she had taken to turn her life around.

Anderson was given a head sentence of three years with an immediate parole release.

The court heard Anderson’s partner was dealt with in the Supreme Court in August last year and given a head sentence of four years.