Gold Coast criminal lawyer caught up in major drug bust

SHE is the glamorous young Gold Coast criminal lawyer facing serious charges after being caught up in a major guns and drugs bust.

The two are taken by car to the Southport watchhouse. Pic: Mike Batterham

SHE is the glamorous young Gold Coast criminal lawyer facing serious charges after being caught up in a major guns and drugs bust.

Briana Ioannides, 26, was arrested yesterday in a dawn raid on her Bundall home with her 25-year-old boyfriend, Daniel White-Mayne.

Police allegedly found two firearms, a loaded sawn-off shotgun and a handgun, along with thousands of dollars in cash, a large quantity of steroids and drugs including “ice”, cannabis, ecstasy and liquid “GBH” in the raid on the Coogeen St residence.

The couple spent the day being questioned at Burleigh Heads police station before being driven by detectives to Southport watch-house, where they were charged with multiple drug and firearms offences.

A Facebook image of Briana Ioannides.

Briana Ioannides and Daniel White-Mayne yesterday. Pic: Luke Marsden.

White-Mayne is expected to face Southport Magistrates Court today while Ioannides was bailed to appear on December 9.

The Coogeen St house where he and Ioannides were arrested yesterday is only a few doors from where the man accused of murdering Gold Coast teen Michael Bracks last week in a drug deal gone wrong was dramatically caught hiding in a roof by police.

But Detective Inspector Marc Hogan, of Burleigh Heads CIB, ruled out any link between the two Coogeen St busts.

The two are taken by car to the Southport watchhouse. Pic: Mike Batterham

“It’s been a good effort and it’s good to see those things (guns and drugs) taken off the streets,” he said.

Ms Ioannides has been suspended from her job with high-profile Southport criminal law firm Gatenby Lawyers.

The law firm’s website says she gained a passion for criminal law while taking part in Griffith University’s Innocence Project, which works to free wrongly-convicted prisoners. Principal Michael Gatenby said he was waiting to speak to Ms Ioannides before he could comment. Ms Ioannides holds a double degree in law and commerce from Griffith University and a diploma of legal practice from Bond University.

Briana Ioannides and Daniel White-Mayne are taken into Southport watchhouse. Pic: Mike Batterham

Originally published as Gold Coast criminal lawyer caught up in major drug bust