Dechlan Keightley pleaded guilty to drug supply, possession charges following Hamilton raid
A Hamilton man has told police he had a hefty drug debt to pay after a raid uncovered a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with ‘meth’ and cocaine. Read what happened in court.
Newcastle
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Tucked away inside a black Louis Vuitton bag, police uncovered almost 200 grams of ‘meth’ that a Hamilton man had planned to sell to a variety of clientele, to pay back a hefty drug debt.
Court documents said Dechlan Keightley, 20, bought drugs from his “upline” supplier and would then sell them through “sappy bags”, communicating on apps like Instagram where he would organise all his drug deals.
But in July last year that all came to a halt, when police swooped on a home at Hamilton where they found Keightley and a stash of drugs, cash and an illegal firearm.
Court documents said he told police a gel blaster pistol found in his bedroom was used as a “deterrent” in case people broke in, following two prior “run-ins”.
The raid seized about 193 grams of meth and close to a gram of cocaine, as well as $8050 in cash and various drug paraphernalia.
Following his arrest, Keightley was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was interviewed by officers.
Court documents said the 20-year-old admitted to a $12,000 drug debt and was set to use the cash found by police to pay back his supplier.
He explained to detectives some of the money also came from “cashies” when he did some ‘cash in hand’ work for a mate who had a power cleaning business.
In Newcastle Local Court last week Keightley appeared in person as he pleaded guilty to two drug supply charges, as well as offences of drug possession, dealing with the proceeds of crime and possession of an unauthorised pistol.
The court ordered a sentencing assessment report. He’s set to be sentenced in May.
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