Director of a local financial planning company to fight charges of importing and supplying $60,000 worth of cocaine

A HIGH-FLYING financial adviser who was charged with importing cocaine after allegedly being dobbed in by a lower-level distributor has been denied bail at the Local Court

Cocaine is usually taken in lines. File photo

A HIGH-FLYING financial adviser who was charged with importing cocaine into Alice Springs after being dobbed in by a lower-level distributor was denied bail at the Local Court.

Harris Shortland, the director of a local financial planning company responsible for hundreds of clients, will fight charges of importing and supplying $60,000 worth of cocaine, as well as possessing $18,000 of tainted cash.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years behing bars.

Mr Shortland was arrested in Brisbane before being extradited to Alice Springs.

Appearing before the court in a buttoned-down V-neck shirt last Monday, the 50-year-old defendant hoped to convince the judge he wasn’t a flight risk if granted bail.

The court heard the defendant had spent much of the past 10 years living between various parts of Australia and Los Angeles with his American partner.

Police prosecutor Glen Dooley said there was a “high flight risk” associated with a frequent flyer like Mr Shortland, whose association with Alice Springs had “withered” in recent years.

“He has the means to spend a fair bit of time flying in and out of the country,” he said.

Mr Dooley said a local distributor had made “extensive admissions” to police, which had allowed them to build up a strong case against Mr Shortland.

Police will use SMS exchanges, financial records, video footage and DNA evidence found on drug packaging to make its case against the defendant.

Mr Dooley said the associate who dobbed the defendant in was currently on bail and she would be “particularly vulnerable” if Mr Shortland was released.

Defence barrister John Lawrence said his client planned on fighting the charges and disputed the view he was a flight risk.

“He says he needs to clear his name — that’s his attitude to these charges,” he said.

“He’s not going to run.”

Mr Lawrence said Mr Shortland was responsible for the financial planning of “at least 100 clients” in Alice Springs who would all suffer if he was placed behind bars.

“The reality of it is the business can’t operate without him being at liberty to operate the business,” he said.

“The defendant needs to work his business — with his staff, with his clients who are reliant on him.”

Mr Lawrence argued the charges levelled against Mr Shortland were relatively insignificant compared to other drug offences that come before NT courts.

“The amount of drugs involved would reap potentially $60,000,” he said.

“Some of these cannabis cases you’re talking about millions of dollars.”

Justice David Bamber said there was “really little in the way of evidence” to assure him Mr Shortland wouldn’t flee Alice Springs and denied his bail request.

He was placed on remand and will face the court again on December 20.