Melanie Cox: Coffs Harbour businesswoman breaches bail on drug charges

A Coffs Harbour businesswoman facing serious drug charges after being arrested on the highway late last year, has allegedly breached her bail conditions.

A Coffs Harbour woman facing serious drug charges has allegedly breached the conditions of her bail by having a second, encrypted phone.

Melanie Cox, 49, was on bail, charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug (indictable quantity); two counts of possess prohibited drug; recklessly deal with proceeds of crime and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle).

Ms Cox, who operates a furniture business, was charged after police stopped the car she was driving on the Pacific Highway at North Boambee Valley about 9.45pm Thursday, 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.

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

The court also heard on Friday, December 17, that police allegedly found three phones in the car.

She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and 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. She must report to Coffs Harbour police station daily and remain in town at a specific address.

She must not leave that address between the hours of 9pm and 6am unless for a medical emergency.

Another bail condition was that she must have just one mobile phone.

But according to police documents tendered to court, officers had been notified she was in possession of two mobile phones.

When she came to report to the station as part of her bail conditions on February 4 she was asked about it and denied having two phones.

Officers told her they would search her vehicle and at this point she admitted to having a second phone but said one was damaged and that she was in the process of transferring from one to the other.

Police documents state the second phone was an encrypted Samsung. She also had an Apple phone and police state there were photos on that of the Samsung in its packaging, indicating it was purchased on January 13.

Her bail was not revoked but she was reminded to abide by all of her bail conditions.

Her matter is listed for brief status (committal) on April 12.