Bendigo drug dealer Paul David Hogan sentenced for trafficking meth and cocaine

A Bendigo drug dealer’s secret meth stash and cash hoard of $175,000 was exposed in a major police raid, shutting down his lucrative drug business.

Bendigo drug dealer Paul Hogan was busted selling meth and cocaine in police raid.

A Bendigo crook has been exposed after a police raid revealed $175,000 in drug cash and a stash of narcotics in a hidden floor safe.

Paul David Hogan, 50, pleaded guilty at the Bendigo County Court on Tuesday to drug trafficking, weapons possession and dealing with proceeds of crime after he was busted in a drug raid on his California Gully rental in March 2022.

Police seized a stolen air rifle that Hogan had bought for $1000 cash, three packs of .22 pellets, a “homemade taser” and capsicum spray.

The court heard police seized $175,000 in cash believed to be drug dealing profits.

Police located a floor safe concealed under the carpet of Hogan’s bedroom cupboard and found 117.9g of meth, 14.9g of cocaine, 2.2g of ketamine and six packs of oxycodone.

He was previously charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, but the commercial charge was downgraded on a plea deal.

Police also found 17 bundles of cash totalling $148,000, along with another $30,000 around the house that police suspected were proceeds of drug dealing.

The court heard Hogan had the taser to fight off anyone who tried to rob him for his drugs and cash.

Paul Hogan was busted with a gun, drugs and money during a major police raid in California Gully.

However, the defence argued Hogan had not used the rifle in his trafficking operation and it was not a “lethal” firearm.

Judge Rosemary Carlin said the amount of cash seized and the weapons found made it a “serious example” of drug trafficking.

Judge Carlin said even though the air rifle wasn’t a “sawn off shotgun” characteristic of a violent drug dealer it was still in the same house as his drug dealing operation, and it looked on the face of it as if he possessed it to protect his “assets”.

“I have no doubt you had it to protect your stash of drugs and cash,” Judge Carlin said.

The prosecution argued Hogan had been busted with a “significant quantity” of narcotics he was selling for profit, which “must have been a significant business”, and he should be jailed.

Paul Hogan made admissions to police he sold meth and cocaine to “friends” and associates, the court heard.

Hogan had spent 916 days in custody since his arrest, the court heard.

He was supported in court by his parents, his sister and his aunt and uncle who provided character references to the court.

Judge Carlin said Hogan had been born and raised in Bendigo to loving parents, who had raised him with “profound moral principles” and there was “no excuse” or “good explanation” for Hogan’s “calculated and premeditated” drug trafficking operation.

The defence argued that Hogan had the capacity to rehabilitate and live a law abiding life, and would have the support of his family when he was released from prison.

Judge Carlin convicted and sentenced Hogan to five years behind bars, with a non-parole period of three years and four months.

If Hogan had not pleaded guilty he would have been jailed for seven years with a non-parole period of five years and three months.

Two-and-a-half years of his sentence had already been served while he was remanded in custody.