Taj Mickley: Cromer teen smuggled drugs at Ultra Music Festival
A northern beaches teen was busted by a sniffer dog trying to smuggle MDMA in his underpants into a music festival. Cops found the pills stuffed into a condom which was filled with coffee grounds. The 19-year-old also faced court for his part in a Manly brawl.
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A teenager who tried to smuggle party drugs into a Sydney music festival in his underpants will learn his fate in court later this month.
Taj Mickley, 19, of Cromer, was one of more than 25 people charged with drug offences at the Ultra Music Festival at Parramatta Park on March 7.
Mickley has admitted to one count of drug supply after he was found with 12 MDMA capsules concealed in a condom inside his underpants.
The teen came under notice shortly after entering the festival at 3.30pm when a sniffer dog approached him.
Officers became suspicious when they noticed Mickley had a “nervous disposition, was sweating profusely and avoiding eye contact”.
When officers asked if he had prohibited drugs, he told them: “I have MDMA. Can I just give it to you?”
During a strip search, Mickley told police the drugs were in his underpants, near his backside.
While removing his underpants, a condom filled with the pills and coffee grounds fell to the floor.
He was arrested and taken to Parramatta Police Station where he was charged with supplying and possessing a prohibited drug. The later charge has since been withdrawn.
According to police facts, Mickley told officers during an interview that the pills were for his own personal use before admitting the drugs were not all for him.
During a brief mention at Parramatta Local Court today, Mickley’s defence pleaded guilty to an unrelated affray charge related to a brawl at a Manly hotel in March.
Police say Mickley was at the New Brighton Hotel on The Corso in Manly in the early hours of March 22 when he was asked by security to leave, due to his high level of intoxication.
Outside the hotel, Mickley got into an argument with security and a group of males before he punched one of the men.
The punch sparked a brawl, with up to five other men throwing punches at each other, before Mickley was punched and thrown to the ground.
He was approached by police a short time later on North Steyne. After ignoring police and pushing them away, he was hit with capsicum spray and arrested.
He was taken to Manly Police Station and charged with affray and behaving in an offensive manner in public. The second charge has now been dropped.
Mickley is expected to be sentenced for both matters at Parramatta Local Court on June 23.