Ascot Vale mum Lesley McLoughlin and David Braione charged with trafficking meth
An Ascot Vale mum and her former partner are in hot water after the pair was slapped with large-scale meth trafficking charges.
North West
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A Melbourne mum and her former partner have been accused of an alleged large-scale meth trafficking racket.
Lesley McLoughlin, 35, and David Braione, 34, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with drug trafficking offences.
McLoughlin, who was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of meth, was allegedly nabbed with drugs at Ascot Vale on May 4 last year.
Fawkner Divisional Response Unit members arrested and charged McLoughlin, of Ascot Vale, the same day.
The court heard McLoughlin was nabbed after her former partner Braione was allegedly arrested with a “significant quantity of methamphetamine”.
A warrant was subsequently executed at McLoughlin’s home, the court was told.
The prosecution and the defence agreed, during an earlier hearing, that McLoughlin’s matter should be heard alongside Braione’s matter.
The defence submitted McLoughlin has moved address since her arrest.
Braione was slapped with the more serious charge of trafficking a large commercial quantity of meth.
It’s alleged Braione was busted trafficking the large drug haul at Keilor Downs on May 4 last year.
Braione was also allegedly busted trafficking cocaine and dealing with proceeds of crime being $75,240.
McLoughlin, via her LinkedIn profile, purportedly worked as a northern suburbs real estate property manager.
McLoughlin also claimed to have run her own pilates business but the ABN linked to the business was cancelled in August this year.
The court heard covert police had Braione under surveillance for several weeks prior to his arrest.
Braione’s defence made an application to cross-examine several witnesses including undercover cops who allegedly observed Braione in a car in which drugs were allegedly discovered.
McLoughlin and Braione, who are contesting the charges, will face court at a later date.
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