Frankie Piccolo, Cathy Anne Ryan sentenced after importing sinus and allergy tablets destined to be used for meth
A wanna-be meth maker has been jailed after Border Force officials became suspicious about dozens of eBay packages and made a disturbing discovery.
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A Holden Hill man will spend at least 10 months in prison after purchasing dozens of boxes of sinus and allergy tablets from abroad to manufacture methamphetamine, a court heard.
His co-accused, a Ridleyton woman who received some parcels on his behalf, has avoided prison.
Frankie Piccolo, 38, and Cathy Anne Ryan, 55, were sentenced in the District Court by Judge Anthony Allen on Monday.
The court heard Piccolo imported more than 100g of pure pseudoephedrine over a period of four months in 2020, including through eBay.
Multiple packages were intercepted by Australian Border Force but Judge Allen said “even after receiving a clear warning from Australian Border Force in the form of a seizure notice you continued your illegal code of conduct”.
One parcel examined by border force contained ice pipes.
Multiple consignments were also shipped to Ryan’s Exeter address.
Border Force officers searched Piccolo’s home in December of 2020 and found a number of items including digital scales, seven ice pipes, three MDMA tablets and a mobile phone that contained messages “indicative of you being a drug user and being prepared to sell and facilitate drug transactions”, Judge Allen said.
In May 2021, officers searched Ryan’s address and she made partial admissions regarding her acquaintance with Piccolo and receiving parcels on his behalf.
Earlier, Piccolo, pleaded guilty to one count of importing and one court of attempting to import a marketable quantity of a border-controlled precursor, namely pseudoephedrine and one count importing prohibited imports, namely ice pipes.
Ryan pleaded guilty to one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring an attempt to import a marketable quantity of a border-controlled precursor, namely pseudoephedrine.
At Monday’s sentencing, the court heard Piccolo had an abusive childhood and suffered from poor mental health and, earlier, addiction.
“You imported pseudoephedrine and other items in order to clear a debt that you owed. You were aware at the time that the pseudoephedrine would be used to manufacture methamphetamine,” Judge Allen said.
“There is a clear nexus between your drug use and the offences before this court. That explains but most definitely does not excuse your criminal conduct.”
Piccolo also had a “lengthy” criminal history, the court heard.
Ryan, meanwhile, has “had an undoubtedly difficult life” and earlier suffered from domestic abuse and cancer, Judge Allen said.
Piccolo received a head sentence of two years and one month jail but Judge Allen said he would be required to serve 10 months in prison after which he would be released on a recognisance order for two years.
Ryan was sentenced to seven months and 20 days in prison but Judge Allen said it was “appropriate” she be released immediately upon a two-year recognisance order.
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Originally published as Frankie Piccolo, Cathy Anne Ryan sentenced after importing sinus and allergy tablets destined to be used for meth
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