Jessey Steven Bell: How cops found MDMA trafficking operation
The drug operation of a young Darling Downs trafficker formerly of Brisbane came crashing down when cops saw him stuffing pills in his undies at a music festival.
Southeast
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A young Darling Downs drug trafficker formerly of Brisbane was detected after police witnessed him shoving a bag of capsules down his undies at a music festival, a court has heard.
Toowoomba man Jessey Steven Bell, 23, formerly of Murarrie, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to four drug-related offences.
They included two counts of supplying a Schedule 1 dangerous drug and one each of possessing a dangerous drug and drug trafficking.
The two drug supply offences occurred in Fortitude Valley in November 2019, with the MDMA trafficking business in operation between December 13, 2019 and January 4, 2020.
The court heard the trafficking offence was uncovered following the commission of Bell’s fourth offence, possessing 19 MDMA pills, which occurred at a music festival at RNA Showgrounds at Bowen Hills on January 4 last year.
Police witnessed Ipswich-born Bell adjusting something in his crotch area which ultimately turned out to be a bag of capsules.
Analysis of his mobile phone uncovered the trafficking operation, which the court heard was typically based at one of three Fortitude Valley nightclubs.
The Crown was hindered by their only being able to prove “a lot of talk but not much action” on Bell’s behalf.
While messages showed Bell offering up to 40 caps for sale on multiple occasions, the Crown could only point to actual transactions totally 36 caps and 2g of loose MDMA crystals.
However, the court heard there was an aspect of “advertising” to Bell’s business which made it more serious.
For instance, he sent out a message to his customers advising them of “Christmas specials”; on another occasion, he boasted of getting a “nice batch” in.
The court heard Toowoomba-born Bell was introduced to drugs at age 13 and discovered methamphetamine upon a stint in the concreting industry upon leaving school.
He trafficked MDMA to support his own meth addiction, the court heard, and his profit was negligible.
Bell was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment with immediate release on parole.
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