Shaun William O’Sullivan: Tweed man pleads guilty to drug supply
A man caught growing marijuana and producing cannabis oil told police he was only selling to people for medical reasons, despite not being a doctor.
Police & Courts
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A Tweed man found with 40 marijuana plants and eight litres of cannabis oil has insisted to police he was only trying to help people for “medical purposes”, despite not being a doctor.
Shaun William O’Sullivan pleaded guilty in Tweed Heads Local Court on February 18 to two counts of supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs.
According to court facts, the 59-year-old environmental consultant was investigated by police at his Oxley St home in Tweed Heads South on December 1, 2020, after they received a tip marijuana was being grown there.
Police found a shed where they could hear a loud exhaust fan, which made them suspect there was marijuana inside.
O’Sullivan initially denied their suspicions before admitting he was growing the drug.
He allowed them to search the shed.
Police found dry marijuana in boxes on a bench within the first section of the shed and an additional four snaplock bags with marijuana inside a fridge.
Inside the shed were about 40 plants, averaging 100cm tall, heating lamps on timers, watering containers with PH levels labelled and exhaust fans.
The shed had been converted solely for the purpose of cultivating marijuana plants with another section used to drying and producing cannabis oil according to court documents.
O’Sullivan showed police inside the kitchen where there were two large glass jars with taps on them containing an estimated 8L of cannabis oil.
When asked how he made it he said “It’s a secret, I am not going to reveal that as it’s a big process”.
He went on to state he mixed the oil with liquid coconut oil and coffee.
Police further questioned him about the cannabis oil.
According to court papers O’Sullivan said “I do not supply cannabis for cash. I am not a drug king pin, I only help people out for medical purposes”.
Police explained this was also supply.
O’Sullivan said he only made the cost of production of the oil.
He showed police two vials containing pure cannabis oil which he said were his - used by rubbing into the skin or taking orally.
In the agreed facts police reiterated O’Sullivan was not a medical practitioner.
O’Sullivan’s case was adjourned to the Lismore District Court on April 11.
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