Australia Post allegedly found Gold Coast meth parcel en route to Tasmania

A man has been arrested at Gold Coast Airport after allegedly sending methamphetamines to a southern state in the mail. READ THE REPORT

A TASMANIAN man has been arrested on the Gold Coast, accused of sending a parcel of methamphetamines to the southern state.

Ashley Dinnessen, 42, was intercepted by the Australian Federal Police at Gold Coast airport on Friday afternoon and charged with possession and supply of dangerous drugs.

He is accused of posting 16g of meth from the Gold Coast to a PO BOX in Tasmania in December.

THREE PEOPLE CHARGED OVER ALLEGED ARMED ROBBERY OF COAST TEENS

Dinnessen was arrested and charged when trying to fly out of the Gold Coast airport about 4pm.

The parcel was allegedly intercepted by Australia Post.

The man appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court on Saturday and was granted bail to return to Hobart.

GOLD COAST CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT ON BORDERS, 2021 AND HIS PAST

The bail application was objected to by federal police officers, but Magistrate Kerry Magee said the fact someone lived outside Queensland was not a reason to keep them behind bars.

“The fact you live interstate is not a ground for an objection to bail. It’s actually built into our Constitution, freedom of movement … except in cases of a global pandemic,” she said.

Duty lawyer Mollie Roper, from Cooper Maloy Legal, told the court Dinnessen had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia but was medicated.

She said the charges levelled against him would not result in actual jail time if he was to be convicted, but that the man denied the allegations.

“He instructs me he has the means to return to Queensland to fight these charges,” she said.

Ms Roper said the “white substance” was yet to be analysed but the actual substance measured 11.2g without the packaging.

Southport Court and generic. Pictures: Scott Fletcher.

FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS

Dinnessen was granted bail on the condition he reside in Hobart and report to police, only returning to Queensland for legal advice or court hearings.

His matter will return to court on February 11.