David Anthony Debrincat, 52, and Phoebe Louise Ewing, sentenced for $1m+ trafficking operation

A man and a woman have been sentenced for their part in trafficking more than $1m of meth and cocaine as part of a massive drug dealing network stretching from Townsville to Cairns.

Methylamphetamine. Photo: Stock image

A man and woman have been sentenced for their part in trafficking more than $1m of meth and cocaine as part of a massive drug dealing network stretching from Townsville to Cairns.

David Anthony Debrincat, 52, and Phoebe Louise Ewing both pleaded guilty to a trafficking operation moving methamphetamine and cocaine from the Cassowary Coast to Townsville and across Far North Queensland over a period of three and a half months in late 2023.

The pair was also charged with possession of drugs and items that were discovered during police searches at their homes.

The court heard Debrincat, along with other members of the syndicate, would source meth and cocaine, storing it buried on his property, before moving the drugs in “wholesale” quantities to other dealers.

Crown prosecutor Tegan Grasso told the court Debrincat sourced and moved around 150 ounces (4.27kg) of methamphetamine which he supplied at a minimum of $6500 per ounce for a possible income of $975,000 of which only around $90,000 was collected as profit.

He also supplied four ounces of cocaine valued at $38,000 for another $8000 profit.

Ms Grasso told the court Debrincat had a criminal history with similar offending beginning when he was 32 which included the production of cannabis, weapons offences, and further drug possession and supply convictions.

Ms Grasso said the trafficking started while he was on parole and serving a suspended sentence.

“His offending became more sophisticated,” she said.

“He made a concerted effort to hide evidence from police over time.”

The court heard he had used an encrypted messaging app which would delete messages if police attempted to gain access to communicate with suppliers, couriers, and clients.

He also employed a middle man to find clients to distance himself from the day to day operations.

Ewing was later hired as a courier making trips to Townsville and Hughenden on behalf of the syndicate before her role changed to storing the drugs on her remote property at Bilyana south of Tully.

She made a four trips carrying a total of 621 grams of meth and an ounce of cocaine, but was only paid about $2500 despite returning with $80,500 in cash.

“It was not a good return for the risk she was running,” Justice James Henry said.

Debrincat also promised her a car if she continued the work for six months.

Ewing’s defence counsel Tom Feeney told the court she worked on and off in aged care between Western Australia and Far North Queensland.

He said she was introduced to recreational use of meth by an abusive ex-partner who also introduced her to Debrincat.

The court heard she fell into heavier use after the death of a new partner which drove her to accumulate a debt to Debrincat who offered her a chance to participate as a courier.

She would later allow her rental property to be used as a “safe house” for storing drugs, which her defence submitted was an effort to remove herself from the courier role.

Mr Feeney conceded she was aware she was moving commercial quantities of drugs.

Debrincat's defence counsel James Sheridan said his client was “getting sick of jail” but was the “author of his own misfortune”.

Justice Henry said his offending was “hard-nosed deliberate offending escalating hoping he wouldn't get caught”.

“Methylamphetamine has a wicked impact on the community,” he said.

“It not only brings misery to users and their families but also induces those who addicted into property crime to raise the funds necessary to feed their habit.”

Debrincat was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with parole eligibility after six years.

Ewing was sentenced to six years imprisonment with a parole eligibility date after 14 months.

Originally published as David Anthony Debrincat, 52, and Phoebe Louise Ewing, sentenced for $1m+ trafficking operation