Scott Alexander Edwards fronts court over drug bust

The lure of $8000 in exchange for a cross-country drug run from Adelaide to Melbourne was hard to resist for a financially stricken pensioner.

Scott Alexander Edwards is a free man after avoiding jail on a charge of trafficking in a drug of dependance.

A 75-year-old drug-running pensioner who admitted his role in a cross-country smuggling operation in return for $8000 has walked out of court a free man.

Scott Alexander Edwards, of Hayborough, south of Adelaide appeared for sentencing in the County Court on Thursday after pleading guilty last month to one charge of trafficking in a drug of dependence, namely butanediol.

He was sentenced to 58 days in prison but Judge Patricia Riddell said since Edwards had spent that duration in custody, he would not need to serve any time in prison.

Edwards agreed to undertake a border trip for his nephew and alleged co-offender Kurt Opray from Adelaide to Melbourne on January 24, 2022.

A timber pallet containing four metal drums containing butanediol and a viscous liquid aboard a truck driven by Scott Alexander Edwards that police intercepted at Horsham.

He was carrying two steel drums containing 347kg of industrial solvent 1,4 butanediol that would have fetched the traffickers an estimated $1.6m.

Police intercepted Edwards in Horsham and a search of his home located a note which had been torn into pieces. Investigators reconstructed the note and it contained information which a co-accused gave him about the drug operation.

Edwards told police he was aware there were drugs in the barrel but not the precise quantity.

Mr Opray will go on trial in County Court this month on a charge of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a drug of dependence.

Drug kingpin and boss of the powerful Notorious Crime family gang George Marrogi and his lover Antionetta Mannella organised the drug dealing and have fessed up to their roles in the offending.

Mr Opray allegedly organized for the drug’s transportation to Melbourne while Edwards was the lowest level player.

A timber pallet containing four covered metal drums containing butanediol and a viscous liquid that Scott Alexander Edwards agreed to transport from South Australia to Melbourne.

However, Judge Riddell said higher courts have long stated that those lower level players involved in the movement of drugs were crucial to the success of the overall scheme.

“Offending which involves the movement of drugs throughout communities is serious. That is reflected in the applicable maximum penalty of 15 years in jail for trafficking in a drug of dependence,’’ Judge Riddell said.

“You were aware that what you were doing was unlawful, you engaged in communication on an encrypted device with the purpose of hiding those conversations.

“You told police that money was tight for you. Your willingness to turn a blind eye to the contents in the truck and to facilitate the movement of a large quantity of drugs into Victoria must be seen as a serious offence.”

Judge Riddell said despite a lifetime of employment, Edwards has often found himself in debt due to poor business decisions. In the lead up to his offending, he said Edwards was experiencing financial stress.

Given Edwards’ age, declining health including Parkinson’s disease, a lack of relevant prior convictions and good prospects of rehabilitation, Judge Riddell said a community corrections order would not be suitable either.