Former Melbourne marketing wiz Tess Rowlatt cops commercial meth and GHB trafficking charges

A former glamorous marketing wiz who allegedly sold drugs from more than a dozen Airbnb properties has scored a custody reprieve. 

Tess Rowlatt fronted Melbourne Magistrates' Court charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of meth. Picture: Facebook

A former Melbourne marketing guru accused of operating a “money-making” drug racket at multiple inner-city Airbnb properties has been released from custody.

Tess Rowlatt, 32, was granted bail in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday after she was charged with more than 100 offences, including trafficking a commercial quantity of meth and obtain property by deception.

Rowlatt allegedly flipped multiple ounce-bag drug deals while shifting between 16 separate Airbnb properties, including the View Hotel St Kilda and Upper West Side in the city.

The court heard Rowlatt stayed at the properties for durations ranging from a night to a few days between July 23 and October 21 last year.

Rowlatt, who was also charged with trafficking heroin and a commercial quantity of 1,4 butanediol, allegedly slung meth, GHB and heroin ranging back to January last year.

It can be revealed Rowlatt also allegedly used stolen IDs and credit cards to carry out multiple frauds prior to her arrest.

Rowlatt allegedly gleaned a Saint Laurent item worth $3325 and an Anton Jewellery diamond earing worth $595 with bogus ID.

Rowlatt, who was charged with multiple possess stolen ID and credit card offences, also attempted to rort handbags worth $17,000 from David Jones in April last year.

Drug Squad detectives moved in and arrested Rowlatt at her Upper West Side Spencer St apartment on October 21.

Rowlatt was charged with obtain property by deception.

Police pounced after the university marketing grad allegedly facilitated a $15,000 drug deal between her supplier and a buyer.

Major Drug Squad Detective Senior Constable Scott Davies told an earlier court hearing Rowlatt saw the buy money, left the apartment and returned with the drugs just before police swooped.

Sen-Constable Scott Davies also alleged Rowlatt booked and secured her Airbnbs with bogus IDs and forged essential worker permits.

Investigators, who seized Rowlatt’s devices, alleged there was evidence she made multiple drug transactions, including a single deal worth $34,000.

Detective Senior Constable Scott Davies told the court Rowlatt allegedly used payment applications Cash Lender and Saldo as “digital tick books”.

Investigators alleged Rowlatt used street slang for drugs and weights, including cues, balls and bags and hop (heroin) and juice (GHB).

Sen-Constable Scott Davies said a “bag” denoted an ounce of meth.

Rowlatt also allegedly used bogus IDs to take out bank loans and buy mobile phones and police found an image of a gun on her phone, the court was told.

Police prosecutor Thomas Mills told the court he was still “adding up” the alleged drug transactions on Rowlatt’s tick book but it was more than $203,000.

“I’m seriously doubtful this is going to stay in this jurisdiction …,” Magistrate Jelena Popovic said.

Rowlatt was charged with more than 100 offences.

Mr Mills said the “protracted” investigation was ongoing.

“It’s complicated in so far as there is numerous telecommunications warrants, there’s multiple addresses, there’s multiple police officers involved, there is lots of analysis to be done …,” Mr Mills said.

“This is better suited for the County Court to deal with.”

Senior Constable Davies, who opposed Rowlatt’s bail application, told the court he found evidence Rowlatt said she “needs to tie up loose ends”.

The detective believed Rowlatt intended to repay and collect drug debts if released.

Police also claimed they found evidence Rowlatt offered a $10,000 bounty for clean hair and urine samples in an apparent attempt to mislead drug testers.

“I believe she will be sucked back into the drug trafficking … I believe she will mislead the court,” Constable Davies said.

George Vassis, who represented Rowlatt at the earlier hearing, submitted his client, who was on two sets of bail, was unable to attend an earlier court hearing because she was grieving the death of a partner.

“The difficulty with that is she’s engaged in high-level sophisticated deceptions and trafficking … that’s a real concern …,” Magistrate Popovic said.

“She was probably involved in the most sophisticated drug trafficking I’ve ever come across …

“While she was in grief she was still able to go to 12 or 14 Airbnb properties to traffic … she was still able to manipulate documents of other persons in their dozens.

“It’s fair to say she’s out of control,” Mr Vassis responded.

Mr Vassis said his unemployed but “intelligent” client graduated from university.

“Unfortunately, life, for whatever reason — probably poor choices or other things — has taken a really bad turn for her and this is where she has ended up,” Mr Vassis said.

Rowlatt claimed, via social media, she graduated from Monash University with a bachelor of business majoring in marketing before holding sales roles within multiple companies.

Magistrate Popovic said Rowlatt’s alleged drug racket was not to “further” her own personal use.

“The businesslike approach to the whole enterprise is of extreme concern..,” she said.

“This was an absolute money-making enterprise the likes of which I’ve rarely seen.”

Rowlatt failed in her earlier bail application but was granted bail at Friday's hearing.

The court heard Rowlatt will reside at a residential drug rehab facility for several months.

Rowlatt will front court at a later date.