$96,000 worth of cannabis siezed en route to Alice Springs
A SOUTH Australian man caught transporting almost four kilos of cannabis into the Northern Territory will spend a total of 12 months behind bars after part of his prison sentence was suspended
Northern Territory
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A SOUTH Australian man caught transporting almost four kilos of cannabis into the Northern Territory will spend a total of 12 months behind bars after part of his prison sentence was suspended.
Gary Charles Robinson, 63, pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis worth almost $100,000 which he transported into the Territory from South Australia in February.
The court heard Robinson obtained 3874.3 grams in South Australia in “unknown circumstances” and he had the intention to transport the drugs to Alice Springs to supply to an unknown person.
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The cannabis was divided into 10 separate packages and put into two spare car tyres. Robinson drove towards Alice Springs in February in a Toyota Land cruiser with a trailer attached.
After spending a night in Coober Pedy, Robinson continued his drive towards Alice Springs but he was stopped by police on the Stuart Highway.
A drug detection dog indicated drugs were hidden in the two tyres in the trailer which also contained a mobile phone and portable scales.
Justice Peter Barr said the quantity of cannabis Robinson transported was more than seven and a half times the commercial threshold.
“You admit that, if the cannabis were sold in Alice Springs at the current street price of $25 per gram, it had a potential yield of $96,850,” he said.
“The supply and distribution of cannabis causes great harm to members of the Northern Territory community affecting, in particular, those who consume and become addicted to it and the families of users who suffer as a result.
“People spend money buying cannabis which should be spent buying food and clothing for their children.
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“The residents of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of cannabis consumption.”
The court heard Robinson was not co-operative with investigating police but facilitated the course of justice by entering an early plea of guilty.
Robinson was sentenced to three years and two months in prison suspended after serving 12 months.
Originally published as $96,000 worth of cannabis siezed en route to Alice Springs