Torin Johnson: Mildura man ordered cannabis off dark web

Mildura’s cannabis prices were too high for this user – but his solution landed him in hot water.

Cannabis intended for a Mildura address was intercepted by police. Picture: istock

A Mildura cannabis user who used the dark web to arrange for the drug to be sent to him by post was trying to avoid paying “local prices”.

Torin Johnson, 39, on Tuesday at Mildura Magistrates’ Court pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cannabis.

A police prosecutor said a delivery of coffee beans through Australia Post was intercepted on July 14 last year containing 22g of cannabis sealed in a clear bag.

The court heard it was addressed to where Johnson was living at the time.

Police said in subsequent weeks a further two parcels were intercepted, containing 28g and 14g of cannabis.

The court was told Johnson had tried to argue the parcels were ordered by his housemate but eventually told police: “I didn’t want to pay local prices”.

Johnson’s lawyer said his client used the dark web to order the drugs, which were intended for his own use.

The lawyer said not wanting to associate with criminal elements was another reason for trying to arrange for delivery online.

The court was told Johnson had a disrupted childhood, having “lost track of the number of primary schools he went to”, and was diagnosed with bipolar at 14.

The lawyer said Johnson “pulled himself up by his bootstraps” in his 20s, working in the mines and becoming a training officer for the use of explosives in Mt Isa.

But the court heard Johnson had a stroke in 2011 and was recently homeless, spending nights sleeping at Mildura’s Lock 11.

Johnson used cannabis to help with his bipolar, although he had since moved on to new medication, the lawyer said.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan gave Johnson an aggregate fine of $1500.

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