Cody Liam Saran sentenced in Townsville District Court after he was busted trafficking buprenorphine from behind bars

A man who managed the funds of a drug enterprise from within Townsville Correctional Centre has broken down in tears while being sentenced for the $15k+ deals.

Cody Liam Saran sentenced in Townsville District Court after he was busted trafficking buprenorphine from behind bars

A prisoner who had just been let out on parole, went straight back in after police conducted a search warrant of his home the day he got out of jail and found evidence of his involvement in a major drug enterprise.

Cody Liam Saran appeared in Townsville District Court on Monday via video link where the details of his involvement in drug trafficking from jail were revealed.

Crown prosecutor Patrick Newman said between August 19 and November 22 in 2022, the 26-year-old assisted a principal offender in trafficking the drug buprenorphine to other inmates.

Saran was sentenced as a ‘party’ to the offending as he withheld a more minor position in the enterprise in comparison to the principal offender who was charged with trafficking and sentenced on May 3 this year to three and a half years’ jail with an immediate parole eligibility date after already spending 307 days in custody.

Mr Newman told the court Saran and his co-offender supplied up to 35 customers in Townsville Correctional Centre, with 95 deposits being made to a total of $15,885.

“(Saran) was mainly responsible for the finances,” the crown said.

It was revealed he enlisted the help of a third-party on the outside to manage a bank account where deposits for the drugs would be dropped.

“He would contact (the partner) every day to enquire if a customer had paid money into the account and if so, how much,” Mr Newman said.

Additionally, Saran had his partner receive the strips of buprenorphine from suppliers, as well as deliver them to other associates, the court was told.

“(Saran’s) involvement came to an end when he was granted parole on November 1 in 2022,” Mr Newman said.

However upon his release, police executed a search warrant at his partner’s home where they found two handwritten notes by the principal offender hidden in balloons telling associates Saran could be trusted, as well as 10 strips of buprenorphine.

Defence barrister Kelly Stone instructed by Resolute Legal submitted a psychological report which stated Saran was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as well as a drug dependent disorder.

He said the man experienced a “dysfunctional” upbringing where he had to be raised by his grandmother as his mother had suffered her own issues with drug use.

The court was also told Saran had taken a break from drug use however, family complications caused a spiral – as the topic of family was being detailed in court, Saran broke down in tears.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren noted the man’s emotions.

“I can see it’s deeply hurting you,” she said.

While sentencing him she labelled the man’s offending as having “an element of calculated disdain for the law”.

Saran pleaded guilty to trafficking drugs and possessing drugs.

He was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail with a parole eligibility date of August 29. At the end of the man’s matter he asked if he could see his grandma on video link which the court obliged – and he told her he loved her and would see her soon.

Originally published as Cody Liam Saran sentenced in Townsville District Court after he was busted trafficking buprenorphine from behind bars