Melbourne drug queen Tess Rowlatt avoids jail after pleading guilty to trafficking drugs: Court

A glamorous Melbourne dealer implicated in an alleged Airbnb trafficking racket has copped to major drug offending.

Tess Rowlatt has received time served for her role in an Airbnb drug trafficking racket. Picture: Facebook.

A glamorous Melbourne dealer will spend no further time behind bars despite copping to a major drug racket.

Tess Rowlatt, 34, was sentenced in the County Court this month to time served – 419 days – after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.

Rowlatt became the focus of a targeted operation conducted by the Victoria Police Major Drug Squad in mid-2021.

Investigators covertly tailed Rowlatt and another accused drug player.

The investigation lasted months and involved hours of physical and electronic surveillance.

Tess Rowlatt

Drug Squad detectives moved in and arrested Rowlatt at her Upper West Side Spencer St apartment on October 21, 2021.

Rowlatt initially faced more than 70 charges including trafficking a large commercial quantity of meth and heroin trafficking and trafficking deadly party drug 1,4 butanediol.

Tess Rowlatt has received time served. Picture: Facebook.

However, Rowlatt, who also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, eventually went down for just two major drug offences.

Rowlatt also pleaded guilty to using a false document to prejudice others, handle stolen goods and commit an indictable offence while on bail.

The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court had earlier heard allegations Rowlatt shifted between 16 separate Airbnb properties, including the View Hotel St Kilda and Upper West Side in the city.

Tess Rowlatt went down for two major drug offences.

It’s alleged Rowlatt stayed at the properties for durations ranging from a night to a few days between July 23 and October 21, 2021.

It was also alleged Rowlatt booked and secured her Airbnbs with bogus IDs and forged essential worker permits.

Police had alleged Rowlatt sold drugs while living at various Airbnbs.

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

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.

Rowlatt was convicted and handed a four-year community correction order.