Gold Coast drugs: Traffickers and dealers named and shamed

Gold Coasters are often known for the entrepreneurial spirit, but this bunch have discovered the grim consequences of trying to make their fortune from the drugs trade. READ THE FULL LIST

GOLD Coasters are often known for the entrepreneurial spirit, but when it comes to this bunch the means is a little questionable.

From possession of over 100kg of weed, litres of methamphetamine oil and international import schemes to anything in between, here are the Gold Coasters caught out with large drug hauls.

JOSHUA THORNBURY

The Parkwood man made headlines for a series of drug and stolen property cases that landed him in prison for 10 years.

In late 2016, Thornbury pleaded guilty to playing puppet master for the importation of 2.8 tonnes of cannabis, worth more than $30 million, into Queensland on domestic flights in 2014.

The charges included two counts of trafficking drugs, one count of drug possession and one count of possession of property obtained by drug trafficking.

In a separate case months later, he admitted to being a serial hoarder of stolen goods when he plead guilty to 146 charges in 2017.

The charges ranged from corruption of a motor registry staffer to trafficking cannabis on flights to Melbourne and stealing and receiving stolen property.

He came undone in 2014 when police raided his two homes in Parkwood and Gunaba and he was caught bragging about his stealing sprees on the phone.

The booty allegedly took police three days to catalogue.

Joshua Thornbury is taken away by police. Picture: David Clark.

ALEX JOHN ARANDALE

Arandale, 25, was this year sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail for a number of offences, including trafficking cocaine.

When active in 2017-2018 the court heard Arandale had coached other dealers, and bragged about selling pills to bikies.

His downfall came after he was caught by police selling 136g of cocaine to undercover officers for more than $30,000.

Alex John Arandale

MARTIN MAYERS AND JORDAN ANTIC

Know for their “Miami Vice-style” operation, which involved smuggling pure cocaine from South America to the Gold Coast via a luxury yacht, Mayers and Antic were found guilty in 2018.

Both were convicted in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

The haul had arrived at the Coomera Marina from Ecuador via Vanuatu on a 13m yacht named The Sola.

UK citizen Mayers was sentenced to 20 years jail after he was found guilty of importing 66.5kg of pure cocaine split among 94 blocks.

Antic was jailed for 12 years for attempting to possess 29kg of the drug.

ORVILLE AND SAMUEL DE RAADT

The Gold Coast brothers, who claimed to be artwork delivery drivers, came unstuck in 2016 when police discovered 86.1kg worth of cannabis in the back of their car.

A further search by police found another 169kg of the drug in a shed Orville rented.

During the trial in the Southport District Court, it was alleged Samuel worked for his younger brother Orville as a “gofer” while they ran product over the state border.

Samuel was given 18 months behind bars in 2018 and Orville was sentenced to eight years for his key role in the operation.

Corey Christopher Haysom, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court to a raft of offences including trafficking ice.

COREY CHRISTOPHER HAYSOM

The convicted ice trafficker who lived off unemployment benefits was sentenced to three years jail in 2020.

He pleaded guilty to a raft of offences including trafficking ice and cannabis and possession and supply of drugs, over a period of three months in 2018.

Haysom was not shy about his profits, flaunting leather loungers, Gucci watches and designer handbags that filled his Southport apartment.

Crown prosecutor Ryder Reid described the Haysom’s dealing as “fairly prolific”, telling the court the man was at times selling hits to customers up to 20 times per week.