Festival-goer pleads guilty to drug possession months after escaping conviction

Festival-goer Mohamed Dada, who was caught with drugs at a Parramatta festival in February and escaped criminal conviction, has pleaded guilty to prohibited drug possession after making the ‘careless mistake’ again.

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A keen festival-goer found with MDMA in his undies at a Sydney music festival has blown his only chance at escaping criminal conviction after only three months.

Commonwealth Bank complaints manager Mohamed Dada, 28, was sniffed out by police drug dogs at Ultra Music Festival in Parramatta in February, where he had five caps in a small balloon inside his underwear.

The Rockdale man escaped conviction at the time and was given a two-year conditional release order — but he threw it all away when he was caught with the rest of his festival drug haul in May.

Dada pleaded guilty to prohibited drug possession at Sutherland Local Court after police found another eight MDMA capsules in balloons inside his glove box during a vehicle search on May 31.

Police had found Dada asleep in his car in Sans Souci and searched the vehicle after spotting green vegetable matter in a Tupperware container on the passenger seat.

Mohamed Dada, 28, has blown his only chance at escaping criminal conviction after being found with another eight MDMA capsules in his car. Picture: LinkedIn

“The accused was cautioned in relation to the green vegetable matter, to which he stated ‘it’s just herbs I mix my tobacco with’,” police facts stated.

“Within the glove box police located two blue balloons, and concealed items could be felt within the balloons.”

Dada told officers the eight capsules inside were MDMA and that “they were previously purchased for a music festival and had been in his vehicle for about four months”.

Magistrate Les Mabbutt fined Dada $800 and recorded a conviction.

“The good behaviour bond clearly did not have an effect on you,” Mr Mabbutt said to Dada.

“You had five capsules in your underwear, you were given a non-conviction and a good behaviour bond for two years.

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“That was February — on May 31st you were caught with eight capsules.”

Dada told the court it was a careless mistake.

“There’s no excuse, I’m just trying to provide an explanation,” Dada said.

“That night I was looking around at houses I can’t afford, but hope to one day, the officers asked to search my car and I allowed them to.”

Ten people went to hospital in critical conditions after suffering the ill-effects of drugs at Ultra Music Festival in February.

Ten people were charged for drug supply offences and Dada was one of 29 charged with drug possession — all but one was for MDMA possession.

Police also issued 13 cannabis cautions.