Melanie Cox, 52, admits to role in meth ring after police phone tap: Coffs court

When a Coffs Coast woman realised police had been listening to her phone conversations, she owned up to her role as a “helper” in the supply of meth in the area.

Melanie Cox (right) leaves Coffs Harbour Courthouse back in 2022.

When Coffs Harbour woman Melanie Cox realised police had been listening to her phone conversations, she owned up to her role as a “helper” in the supply of meth in the area.

It’s not the first time the 52-year-old woman has been before court for drug-related crime.

In 2022, Cox was sentenced after police found methamphetamines (ice), cocaine and cash in her car while it was stopped on the Pacific Highway near Boambee, during a wider probe into large-scale drug dealing between Sydney and Tweed Heads.

Melanie Cox, 52, outside the Coffs court on Tuesday.

A magistrate said at the time that Cox put herself in a very “serious position” and came “close to going to jail”.

But she was sentenced to a 15-month intensive correction order due to an early plea and lack of prior offending.

Cox was convicted of two drug supply offences, as well as recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

The car being driven by Mel Cox which was seized in 2022.

Cox came to the attention of police again when they began a “protracted investigation into the supply of drugs, primarily meth, in the Coffs Harbour region” in April 2023, according to court documents.

Phone calls between Cox and a co-offender were intercepted and she agreed to drive him to the Central Coast to purchase meth.

The pair picked up another man on the way and the trio were caught by police on their return trip on August 1.

Officers searched the car and found an envelope containing 138.82 grams of meth under the front passenger seat, police state.

Melanie Cox leaves Coffs Harbour Courthouse on Tuesday.

Cox initially denied any knowledge of the purpose of the trip.

She told police she thought a co-offender “was up to something dodgy”, but “if I’d thought it was something sinister, I probably would have pulled over and told him to f--king get out”.

Officers revealed they had intercepted phone calls and Cox admitted “yes, I’m a helper”.

She admitted to driving co-offenders around to collect or supply drugs.

Cox told police she booked accommodation to allow deals to take place and paid “upline suppliers”, police state.

She has pleaded guilty in Coffs Harbour Local Court to participating (or contributing) in a criminal group activity and taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs (less than commercial quantity).

The case has been adjourned to January 19.