Ryan Dean Alswang: Drug trafficker used operation to feed his own habit

A St Lucia man has been jailed and is now at risk of deportation after police uncovered his hidden life trafficking drugs across Brisbane.

A St Lucia man has been jailed and is now at risk of deportation after police uncovered his hidden life trafficking drugs across Brisbane.

Ryan Dean Alswang, 27, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday to trafficking in dangerous drugs.

St Lucia man Ryan Dean Alswang, 27. Picture: Facebook

The court heard that Alswang trafficked street-level amounts of cannabis, MDMA and cocaine over 10 months between November 21, 2019, and September 14, 2020.

He engaged the postal system to deliver some of his drugs and, on occasion, would drive out to Emerald to deliver them.

The court heard police identified 51 transactions and 13 customers, mostly made up of his close friends.

He would receive bank transfers, including a payment from one customer who transferred in excess of $11,000.

The court heard that Alswang first came to the attention of police when he was stopped in his car with drug paraphernalia inside, which led to police analysing his phone.

Alswang’s lawyer told the court her client was born in South Africa, grew up in the US and was now at risk of deportation.

She said Alswang engaged in trafficking cannabis to support his own cannabis habit to help him cope with his anxiety and pain relief.

Justice David Boddice sentenced him to four years imprisonment, suspended after serving 12 months.