Melanie Cox enters guilty pleas to drug supply at Coffs Harbour court

Supported by her daughter, the woman, who previously breached bail for having two phones, entered pleas to charges of drug supply and dealing with proceeds of crime. See what happened in Coffs court.

Coffs Harbour businesswoman Melanie Cox has pleaded guilty to several drug supply charges and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

The 50-year-old, who operates a furniture business, was arrested after police stopped the car she was driving on the Pacific Highway at North Boambee Valley about 9.45pm on December 16.

She was stopped as part of a wider police operation investigating the supply of prohibited drugs between Sydney and Tweed Heads.

Police allege they found 245g of methylamphetamine (ice), 30g of cocaine and $4180 cash in the car.

According to police documents tendered to the court, the drugs were found hidden in various locations in the car including behind a panel in the driver side footwell and in the steering column.

There was $2000 cash in the centre console which she told police was for furniture sold and delivered to Bellingen and the remainder in her handbag.

She was also subjected to a roadside drug test, which allegedly returned a positive result for methylamphetamine (ice) and cocaine.

An agreed set of facts tendered to the court state she admitted to police that she used the pipe found in the car to smoke meth.

The car was seized and she was taken to the Coffs Harbour police station and arrested.

The car being driven by Mel Cox is seized.

She initially pleaded not guilty to all charges and after a night remanded in custody was granted bail to live at her father’s place.

Her father Michael Cox entered into a bail security agreement on her behalf of $1000 and she was ordered to comply with several conditions including a curfew and that she must have only one mobile phone.

But according to police documents tendered to court, officers were notified in January that she was in possession of two mobile phones.

Her bail was not revoked but she was officially warned to comply with her conditions.

During her recent appearance on August 9 she was represented by Coffs Harbour lawyer Hugo Shleiger and supported by her daughter.

She entered guilty pleas to the following offences:

-supply a prohibited drug (methamphetamine) - greater than an indictable but less than commercial quantity

-supply a prohibited drug (cocaine) - greater than an indictable but less than commercial quantity

-recklessly deal with the proceeds of crime of a value less than $5,000 (the $4,180 in cash)

The following charges were withdrawn:

-possess prohibited drug (cocaine)

-having good in personal custody suspected of being stolen (the $4,180 in cash)

No plea has been entered for the additional charge of possessing a prohibited drug (methamphetamine).

The matter has been adjourned to September 27.