Edward Allan Tindle, Anecita Empasis: Albury couple accused of smuggling 30kg of cannabis released on bail

A husband and wife team accused of running a “sophisticated” cannabis supply ring, attempting to smuggle 30kg of the drug across the border into Albury, has been granted bail.

Cannabis.

A Jindera man accused of attempting to smuggle 30kg of cannabis, with a street value of $244,000, across the border into Albury has been granted bail.

But magistrate Richard Funston said police would be “watching him like a hawk”.

Edward Allan Tindle, 65, first appeared at Albury Local Court with his wife and co-accused Anecita Empasis on September 16, 2020, where Mr Tindle was denied bail.

Ms Empasis was granted bail on strict conditions.

Police allege Mr Tindle and Ms Empasis had concealed 30kg of cannabis in the panels of a ute in an attempt to bring their haul across three states into Albury last year.

Due to COVID-19 border restrictions at the time, it’s alleged the pair travelled through the Northern Territory and Queensland to South Australia to buy the cannabis, and planned to transport it from South Australia back to Albury.

But police alleged their drug-dealing plans were foiled when the ute was seized by Victoria Police following a Strike Force Billarga investigation into the commercial supply of cannabis in the Albury area.

Once the ute was seized and warrants were issued for the arrest of Mr Tindle and Ms Empasis, they surrendered themselves at Albury Police Station on September 15, 2020.

Mr Tindle was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug, knowingly direct activities of a criminal group, deal with proceeds of crime more than $1 million, and possess prohibited drug.

Ms Empasis was charged with supply prohibited drug, deal with proceeds of crime of more than $1 million, participate in criminal group, and contribute to criminal activity.

Mr Tindle appeared before Albury Local Court on Tuesday via videolink to apply for bail.

Mr Tindle’s defence solicitor said his client had already spent more than seven months in prison and was struggling to deal with the complex nature of his charges from behind bars.

Ms Empasis, who appeared in court in person, wept into a tissue as her husband’s bail application was put before the court.

The prosecution stated that detention was justified, and there was a strong Crown case with evidence including recorded phone calls and DNA.

Mr Tindle’s solicitor stated his client wasn’t likely to face a jail sentence of more than three or four years, and that Mr Tindle’s alleged drug operation was not sophisticated in nature.

Mr Funston said it was a complex and serious matter.

“It’s pretty sophisticated for the humble old Albury community,” he said.

However, he agreed to grant Mr Tindle bail on strict conditions.

“I accept the brief is large, complex, voluminous and I accept it would be hard to navigate your way through it in custody,” Mr Funston said.

“While the allegations are extremely serious, and it’s a strong Crown case, I understand in regards to the charges there’s a lot to work through.”

Mr Tindle was granted bail on the conditions he doesn’t travel more than 60km from his Jindera home, he doesn’t leave the house between 9pm and 6am, he doesn’t enter an international airport and must surrender his passport to police, and he must forfeit $150,000 if he fails to appear in court.

Ms Empasis’s bail was continued but she can now travel 60km from her Jindera home instead of 30km.