Jaren Fowke, Joshua Vu: Duo guilty of drug trafficking
Two southeast Qld traffickers couriered 80 pounds of drugs in exchange for a pittance, a court has heard.
South West
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Two southeast Queensland men acted as couriers for an extraordinary cannabis operation in exchange for a pittance, a court has heard.
Bellbird Park man Joshua An Vu, 33, and Forest Lake man Jaren Norie Jose Fowke, 32, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Monday to five offences.
They included trafficking in cannabis, three counts of supplying cannabis, and possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis.
The trafficking period occurred between December 7, 2018 and February 13, 2019, with three drug deals occurring at an address in Caboolture on various dates.
All up, Vu and Fowke couriered 80 pounds, or more than 35kg, of cannabis.
They were ultimately busted at an address in Nathan on February 12, 2019.
Both spent two full days in the watch-house before they were released on bail on February 15.
The court heard Vu and Fowke received a “rather meagre financial benefit” for their crimes, having to share $1000 per deal.
Fowke’s defence counsel Robert Carroll told the court his client’s role in the trafficking ring occurred at a time of “emotional instability” following the break-up of a relationship and his increasing consumption of alcohol as a result.
Vu’s defence counsel, meanwhile, submitted his client was motivated by financial gain as the amount represented about a week’s wage for him at the time.
He said his client had a “powerful work history”, working in the construction industry for eights years until he lost his job as a result of the current charges.
Vu is currently employed as a machine operator in the Caboolture area, the court heard.
Vu’s offending was slightly more serious than Fowke’s as he acted as an “intermediary” in addition to his role as a courier.
Judge Julie Dick SC told the court the duo’s offending was driven by their own heavy use of cannabis.
“(Their) use of cannabis somewhat inured them to the importance the law places on being involved in it,” she said.
Fowke was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years, while Vu was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three-and-a-half years.
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