Ex-Men’s Gallery Stripper Emily Arena pleads guilty to trafficking meth, cocaine and MDMA

A former Men’s Gallery stripper sold meth, MDMA and cocaine out of a city Airbnb to bankroll her $800 per week drug habit.

Former Men’s Gallery stripper Emily Arena was charged with trafficking meth, cocaine and MDMA.

A former Men’s Gallery stripper nabbed moving drugs at a plush city Airbnb after police revealed she moved $9000 cocaine deals has avoided a jail stint.

Emily Arena, 25, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday a 12-month community correction order after pleading guilty to a rolled-up drug trafficking charge.

Arena, who pleaded guilty to trafficking, meth, cocaine and MDMA, and her former boyfriend were arrested at their Flinders Lane Airbnb on September 11 last year.

Police allege they found Arena and her former boyfriend in bed together, and a stack of cash and drugs after raiding the Flinders House apartment just after 9am.

Investigators seized meth, cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, $33,500 and a purple iPhone in a “glittery” case which belonged to Arena.

Arena’s phone contained multiple messages which linked the former exotic dancer to her drug dealing racket.

The court heard the messages indicated a “regular (and) organised poly-substance trafficking business in conjunction with and reporting to (the former boyfriend)”.

Arena told a customer who owed cash for drugs that “ … doesn’t want me to tic anymore”.

The messages also revealed Arena was slinging bags (grams) of pure or cut cocaine at between $300 and $450 a pop and quarter ounces for $9000.

Arena, who sold MDMA pills for $20, also offered to “organise” Ubers and taxis for customers to collect drugs, the court was told.

Arena was a Men’s Gallery stripper.

Arena, who informed customers she was “waiting on more packages”, told a client she “needs cash … I can’t have that much go in my acc”.

Arena, who had Covid-19 at the time of her arrest, was eventually interviewed by police on December 3.

Arena told police a bag of cocaine and some meth was for “personal use”.

Arena also claimed she got some MDMA from a friend in a “tradsies kinda thing”.

Arena, who also pleaded guilty to deal with the proceeds of crime, claimed a bundle of about “$6000 or $7000” was her Men’s Gallery savings.

Arena also claimed her ex sold gym equipment for between “$13,000 and $17,000”.

Arena, currently unemployed, told police she worked as a wholesaler then as a Men’s Gallery dancer but “work dried up during lockdown”.

Arena, who said she was living on “savings”, told police she spent $800 a week guzzling cocaine and meth daily.

The drug dealer also explained to police that “rack” meant cocaine, a “bag” was an ounce, a “q” was seven grams and an “8-ball” was an eighth of an ounce.

Arena also admitted she was aware acetone was used in the “methylamphetamine preparation process”.

Arena initially denied trafficking drugs but copped to her racket after investigators showed her photographs of her phone messages.

“It was stupid,” Arena said.

“I just want to move on.”

The prosecution acknowledged her ex had been a few years older than Arena and suggested he was the alleged “principal offender”.

However, the prosecution called for Arena to serve jail time after she was caught with drugs while on bail for these charges earlier this year.

“(The drugs found in her home) tends to implicate her as a player,” the prosecutor submitted.

“She’s not just a dupe who’s holding the drugs for someone else … she’s a person who’s involved … it tends to indicate that she is an active agent rather than a person who is holding a bag of someone’s dope.”

The defence submitted Arena had been drug free and living with family since July this year.

The court heard Arena, who commenced studying nursing after she finished Year 12, was a recreational drug user but her habit skyrocketed after she took a job at The Men’s Gallery.

The defence submitted her ex was paying Arena’s expenses and “subsidising” her drug supply but the relationship was now “dead and gone”.

Magistrate Kieran Gilligan accepted Arena played a “lesser role” in the racket but handed the former dancer a conviction.

Arena’s ex, whose matters have yet to be finalised, is on remand to front court at a later date.

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