Ashley James Vels guilty of trafficking in ice, GHB, MDMA

A Moreton Bay baggage handler busted running a meth operation and in possession of a huge quantity of drugs has been sentenced in case described as “curious”.

A Moreton Bay baggage handler who trafficked in methamphetamine, GHB and MDMA, as well as being busted with a commercial quantity of ice following some wild motorcycle driving, has been granted immediate parole release.

Elimbah man Ashley James Vels, 31, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to five serious drug offences.

They included drug trafficking, two counts of supplying a dangerous drug, possessing a dangerous drug and possessing a commercial quantity of a dangerous drug.

The court heard the two possession charges were detected following a police search of Vels after he was pulled over after performing an unsafe manoeuvre on his motorbike at Morayfield on May 2, 2019.

Vels was discovered in possession of 11.3g pure methamphetamine within nearly 28g of substance and 56 Oxycodone tablets, the court heard.

Elimbah man Ashley James Vels, 31. Picture: Instagram

A search was later performed on Vels’ Elimbah residence on February 13 last year.

Inside, Vels was discovered in possession of a variety of drug paraphernalia, weapons and cash for which he was dealt with in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on March 12, 2020, receiving, ultimately, 12 months’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole after not complying with his initial probation order.

However, during that same search, police also discovered Vels in possession of two mobile phones, the contents of which revealed he had trafficked in ice, MDMA and GHB at a street level between January 8 and February 27, 2019, and also supplied dangerous drugs twice in circumstances which were not captured by the trafficking charge.

The court heard Vels had at least 10 customers but the true extent of his business was unable to be determined.

The court heard Vels had been in custody since August 16 after his parole had been suspended and had spent just under three months remanded in pre-sentence custody on the current offences over three discrete periods.

Defence counsel John Cook told the court his client had a “good work history”, working in the aviation logistics and baggage handling industry most recently.

He said his client was unemployed, though, at the time of the drug trafficking and was in a “tumultuous” relationship with a partner which featured heavy meth use of up to a gram a day each.

That relationship had now ceased, Mr Cook said.

He further noted his client, according to a psychologist’s report, exhibited traits of borderline personality disorder and psychoactive substance dependency, both of which could be managed.

Justice Martin Daubney said the “curiosity of the case” was that Vels ceased drug trafficking of his own volition.

He said he was “only just” persuaded by the fact Vels had already spent some three months remanded in pre-sentence custody to free him today.

Vels was sentenced to three years and nine months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for a period of four years, and two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole.