Accused bikie jailed for trafficking ice, cocaine

An alleged Mongols bikie will spend 12 months behind bars after he was caught trafficking cocaine and ice to fund his own habits.

An alleged Mongols bikie who spent six months trafficking cocaine and ice to fund his own drug habit has been jailed for one year.

Richard Kevin Anderson, 32, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday to one charge of trafficking in dangerous drugs.

The court heard Anderson had already been given a suspended sentence in August 2020 for possessing dangerous drugs in late 2019.

Defence barrister Martin Longhurst said despite already being sentenced, Anderson was then hit with a fresh drug trafficking charge months later in October 2020 relating to the same offending.

It’s understood the fresh charge was laid in the wake of the execution of bikie Shane Bowden when police began raiding properties allegedly connected to bikie gangs and drug distribution.

“It is unusual in the sense that my client was investigated fully, there was no new information to light, he was charged, that process crystallised, he was sentenced and he began serving imprisonment in the community, and then he was charged with new related offences,” Mr Longhurst said.

Court

Mr Longhurst said Anderson had experienced an “incredibly bad 2019”, he became a heavy drug user and began selling drugs to support his own habit.

He said Anderson was now drug and alcohol free, had good job prospects and had significant family support.

“…the trafficking is described as low level wholesaling and street level dealing,” Justice Glenn Martin said in sentencing Anderson.

“There is not a great deal of evidence about the extent of the trafficking.

“Communications undertaken using a mobile phone were unable to be obtained due to the use of an encrypted device, some material was available through interrogating the mobile phone and shows that you had at least 10 customers, you sold the drugs on credit, there was a tick sheet and associated paraphernalia.”

He noted Anderson had already been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment suspended immediately for 30 months in August 2020 for the earlier related charges.

“Unusually you have been dealt with already for possession of 4.799 grams of cocaine together with the paraphernalia I’ve referred to which included cash in the amount of $3670 and two sets of knuckledusters,” he said.

Anderson was sentenced to five years imprisonment, to be suspended after he has served 12 months behind bars.

Originally published as Accused bikie jailed for trafficking ice, cocaine