John Charles White: Drug-trafficking aviator arrested
An elderly Gold Coast aviator who allegedly trafficked drugs by air for bikie gangs has been arrested and charged with further drug offences.
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An elderly Gold Coast aviator who was charged in 2015 for allegedly smuggling drugs by air between South Australia and New South Wales at the behest of bikies has been arrested at his Coomera residence and charged with possession of Schedule 3 quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine.
John Charles White, 74, a former member of the Gold Coast Sports Flying Club at Norwell, was one of 11 people arrested in September 2015 on suspicion of involvement in an alleged bikie drug trafficking ring spanning three states.
Mr White was dramatically arrested in his Sting Ultralight aircraft on the tarmac at Deniliquin Airport in southern NSW, where detectives allegedly uncovered 45kg of cannabis and 4kg of a precursor drug to ice.
In the latest development, Mr White was charged on January 27 with two counts of possessing Category 1 drugs, two counts of possessing property suspected of being used in the commission of drug offences, and one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing/acquiring restricted items.
Beenleigh Magistrates Court heard on Thursday the Schedule 1 drugs included 3.8g of ice and 5.73g of cocaine.
Police prosecutor Diana Bora told the court drugs were discovered in his wallet, at his Coomera residence and a further quantity at “another location”.
Ms Bora said investigations into Mr White’s activities have been under way since July last year.
The court heard Mr White has a previous conviction in Queensland for drug trafficking in 2008 where he received four years’ imprisonment.
Charges against Mr White for his alleged September 2015 trafficking are yet to be finalised, the court heard.
Meanwhile, Mr White was sentenced to an Intensive Correction Order in NSW in November last year for possession of a “large quantity” of drugs, including cocaine.
Ms Bora accused Mr White of “fleeing” NSW for Coomera while the ICO was operational, but on Friday was able to produce a document on Friday showing he had been granted permission to travel to Queensland.
It was submitted on Mr White’s behalf he was an elderly man with health issues who had no breaches of bail in his history.
Magistrate Gary Finger granted Mr White bail on conditions including that he submit to drug testing and report weekly to Coomera Police.
His charges will next be before the court on June 16 for a committal mention.
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