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Reservoir dad Justin Walker jailed for trafficking a commercial quantity of meth and bute

A Reservoir dad ran a one-stop drug trafficking shop out of his apartment with intricate stash spots and coded messages.

Justin Walker dealt drugs out of his Royal Parade apartment in Reservoir. Google.
Justin Walker dealt drugs out of his Royal Parade apartment in Reservoir. Google.

A Reservoir dad’s lucrative drug racket came crashing down after he sold undercover cops almost $15,000 worth of illicit gear.

Justin Walker, 42, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to a minimum four years’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including trafficking a commercial quantity of meth and 1,4-Butanediol.

Walker, who also pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis, sold 6.5 litres of bute – a GHB mirror drug – meth and MDMA to two undercover police cops between March and April last year.

Walker conducted various drug deals with the undercover operatives while in the kitchen of his Royal Parade apartment.

The dopey drug trafficker also revealed where in the kitchen he hid his various drug stashes.

Walker communicated via phone and text with the first undercover cop who posed as a local buyer named ‘Chris’.

Walker was later introduced to the second undercover cop ‘Dan’ who posed as a “friend” of Chris.

Dan struck a deal over the phone with Walker to purchase a large amount of GHB.

The pair later texted to lock in the deal.

“Hey bro cant get the drinks (GHB) until 3pm sorry bro got the cold 1 now,” Walker said via text.’

“Hey brother can’t wait any longer than 3. Any chance you can do earlier? Real coin and got coin sorted. I wanna try to pick up all at once. What’s the chances?,” Dan replied.

Police pounced on Walker as he left Bundoora’s Uni Hill Factory Outlet on April 30 last year.

Investigators then raided Walker’s home and seized a large amount of drugs from a safe hidden in the oven.

Police also seized other drugs hidden around the kitchen – including in the bread tin – and discovered cannabis plants growing in the bath.

All up police hauled in meth, bute, cannabis MDMA, pethidine, alprazolam, LSD, BDMP, methandienone and Valium and seized mobile phones, knuckle dusters and ammunition.

Police also raided Walker’s partner Jamie Shipsides’ Strathmerton St home in Reservoir and seized drugs including GHB and meth.

Walker refused to make any statements to police except to say drugs found at Shipside’s home were his.

Shipsides pleaded guilty at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last December to trafficking charges but failed to show for sentencing.

A warrant was issued for her arrest.

The court heard Walker had a “significant and relevant” criminal history and had previously been sentenced to jail terms.

Walker’s lawyer told the court that drugs were the focus of his client’s life before he was locked up.

He said Walker had been acting as a full-time carer for his mum and was using cannabis daily.

It was heard Walker had no friends he could rely on and had two adult sons, one of whom was in jail.

Judge Claire Quin jailed Walker for a maximum six years.

serena.seyfort@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/reservoir-dad-justin-walker-pleads-guilty-to-trafficking-a-commercial-quantity-of-meth-and-bute/news-story/9b513f1543b171f10073f40a610e41fa