Adam James Holford pleads guilty to cocaine trafficking

A Queensland house restumper turned cocaine trafficker targeted selling opportunities like State of Origin night to achieve a failed dream of owning a Lambo, a court has heard.

A Queensland house restumper turned cocaine trafficker targeted selling opportunities like State of Origin night to achieve a failed dream of owning a Lambo, a court has heard.

Deception Bay’s Adam James Holford today pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine, drug possession and having a taser.

Brisbane’s Supreme Court heard Holford, who owned a legitimate home restumping business, trafficked at street level for about 11 months beginning November 2017.

Adam James Holford was jailed for trafficking cocaine.

Crown prosecutor Geoff Seaholme said Halford supplied coke on at least 23 occasions but there were probably more.

“The defendant focused on opportunities such as weekends and sporting events like the State of Origin,” he said.

“He expressed a desire to become rich from the business and wanting to purchase luxury items such as Louis Vuitton handbags for his partner and a Lamborghini.”

In October 2018 police raided his home at Deception Bay and a unit he kept in Mango Hill.

Police found $40,000 in $100 bills in a safe at Deception Bay, clip seal bags, cutting agent, scales, $10,000 in a bedroom dresser and a further $7,450 along with a Taser.

Holford ran a legitimate home restumping business while trafficking.

The search at Mango Hill located a handwritten list of about 100 Wickr names used to try and expand Holford’s customer base, the court heard.

Wickr is an encrypted messaging app.

Holford’s barrister James Godbolt said the luxurious lifestyle his client envisaged never materialised.

“He … talked it up very big by saying he wished to purchase luxury items such as handbags and a Lamborghini car, obviously enough no such items were acquired,” he said.

Mr Godbolt said Holford, who had a significant history of cocaine dependency, began trafficking as a way to subsidise his own use of the drug.

It wasn’t until about six months later that he began to make a profit.

“It is not at all established by the prosecution that he profited to any significant degree, “he said.

“There is the cash that was located, he is contesting those matters there’s an outstanding charge in the Magistrate’s Court.”

The court heard some of the trafficking money was used to pay staff of his legitimate business.

Justice Thomas Bradley said Holford was someone with intelligence and business acumen.

“It is such a tragedy that … you sought to deploy your skills in an illegal act and one that is so dangerous to the community,” he said.

He sentenced Holford to four years prison, to be suspended after 16 months, and three years probation.