Goulburn’s Christopher Bower refused bail over $1m Queanbeyan cocaine find
Goulburn tradie Christopher Bower has denied possessing the $1m of cocaine found in a storage shed in Queanbeyan. However, police have alleged DNA evidence may suggest otherwise.
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A Goulburn concreter charged with supplying almost 2kg of cocaine has been refused bail, with police alleging his DNA was found on paraphernalia stashed with drugs in a storage unit.
Christopher Alexander Bower, the owner of CAB Concrete, was refused bail by Magistrate Claire Girotto in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, after he was arrested and charged by officers from the Southern Region Enforcement Squad and ACT Policing on October 30.
In the months before his arrest, investigators from Strike Force Rogal pounced on a storage unit on Aurora Ave in Queanbeyan, where they uncovered almost $1 million worth of cocaine.
During Bower’s appearance on Wednesday, the court heard police used physical and inadvertent surveillance to monitor the 28-year-old from February to April, allegedly capturing him visiting the storage unit on several occasions.
In documents tendered to the court, police allege Bower had no reason to visit the storage unit “business or otherwise”, and that he allegedly used it to store and prepare cocaine for distribution.
On April 3, the investigation culminated with a raid on the storage unit, where police found a metal toolbox stuffed full of cocaine inside a “small office space” of the unit.
Two bricks of the drug were allegedly found in the toolbox, one weighing 1011.1 grams with an 80 per cent purity, and another weighing 957.2g with a purity of just over 50 per cent.
Next to the toolbox, the court heard police found a Costco bag full of plastic bowls, packaging, cloths and a blender, as well as a set of scales.
Two white buckets were also found containing inositol and caffeine, which police allege are commonly used to dilute, or mix with cocaine.
The items were seized and examined, with police alleging Bower’s DNA was found on the handles of the Costco bags and the clothes inside of it.
Following the raid on the storage unit, police swooped on a home in Wallaroo home, just north of Canberra.
While the search was underway, police allege they tried to stop Bower and another man as they tried to evade officers in a White Range Rover registered to CAB Concrete.
The duo were pulled from the vehicle while police allegedly found more than 4000 prescription pills at Bower’s home, including Xanax and dexamphetamine.
In the documents, police also allege they found a gel blaster, ammunition, a money counter and steroids.
Bower attended Queanbeyan Police Station with his solicitor on October 30, where he was charged with supplying large commercial quantity of cocaine, despite documents stating he denied possessing the drug.
In court on Wednesday, his lawyer offered up a hefty surety and offered Bower surrender his passport as a condition of bail, however Magistrate Girotto said there was “no reason” why his detention wasn’t justified.
“I do take into account that he has a business and his partner has medical needs,” she said. “But at this stage I just don’t think his detention isn’t justified given the gravity of this case … we are talking about 2kg of cocaine, it’s not 10 grams.”
Bower will remain on remand in custody until he next appears before the court in January.
