Gold Coast drug dealers of 2020: Rikkie Chapman, Joshua Cutajar, Corey Haysom, Alex Arandale, Liam Taylor, Cedric Sayah, Todd Mehlhopt and Garth Molloy
A convicted ice trafficker, a cocaine dealer and a newly married couple were just some of the drug dealers who made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2020. Here’s how they were brought down.
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CONVICTED ice trafficker Corey Haysom, cocaine dealer Alex Arandale and newlyweds Rikkie Chapman and Joshua Jacob Cutajar are just some of the drug dealers who’ve made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2020.
Take a look at some of the Gold Coast’s most high-profile drug dealing cases.
COREY CHRISTOPHER HAYSOM
The convicted ice trafficker who lived off unemployment benefits was sentenced to three years jail in January 2020.
He pleaded guilty to a raft of offences including trafficking ice and cannabis and possession and supply of drugs, over a period of three months in 2018.
Haysom was not shy about his profits, flaunting leather loungers, Gucci watches and designer handbags that filled his Southport apartment.
Crown prosecutor Ryder Reid described the Haysom’s dealing as “fairly prolific”, telling the court the man was at times selling hits to customers up to 20 times per week.
ALEX JOHN ARANDALE
Arandale, 25, was sentenced in March 2020 to six-and-a-half years in jail for a number of offences, including trafficking cocaine.
When active in 2017-2018 the court heard Arandale had coached other dealers, and bragged about selling pills to bikies.
His downfall came after he was caught by police selling 136g of cocaine to undercover officers for more than $30,000.
LIAM WILLIAM TAYLOR
The Gold Coast drug dealer who started using drugs in school because he thought it was “cool” was sentenced to 15 months probation for trying to sell marijuana to a 17-year-old.
Taylor, 23, pleaded guilty in April 2020 to supplying drugs to a minor and possession of dangerous drugs in Southport District Court.
The court was told the 17-year-old contacted Taylor via Facebook to ask for $400 worth – or 27g – of marijuana, but pulled a knife when it was time to hand over the cash.
CEDRIC SAYAH
Sayah, 31, was convicted and fined $600, sentenced to community corrections orders for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service for supplying MDMA pills at a festival.
Tweed Heads Local Court was in May 2020 told the French national was partying at a festival in February 2020 when he was arrested after trying to avoid a drug detection dog.
He was arrested and searched by officers who found a “blue item under Sayah’s testicles”.
Inside the blue container were 48 MDMA pills weighing 7.68g.
RIKKIE CHAPMAN AND JOSHUA JACOB CUTAJAR
Newlyweds Rikkie Chapman and Joshua Cutajar were sentenced in October 2020 to three years in jail after pleading guilty to multiple charges including trafficking dangerous drugs, supplying dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing a weapon.
To add insult to injury they were owed more than $11,000 by their customers when police shut down their drug operation on July 25, 2019.
They were also found with more than 4kg of cannabis in their Coomera home. On the street the drugs were worth an estimated $25,000.
TODD MEHLHOPT AND GARTH MOLLOY
Gold Coast men Todd Elliot Mehlhopt and Garth Michael Molloy were caught trying to transport $30,000 worth of cocaine from Sydney to the Gold Coast.
The acquaintances thought they had a simple plan: fly to Sydney, hire a car and drive $30,000 worth of cocaine back to the Gold Coast.
The only problem was the police were listening the whole time.
Both men were sentenced in December 2020 in Gosford District Court to two years jail, to be served as intensive corrections orders and ordered they perform 200 hours of community service work.
Originally published as Gold Coast drug dealers of 2020: Rikkie Chapman, Joshua Cutajar, Corey Haysom, Alex Arandale, Liam Taylor, Cedric Sayah, Todd Mehlhopt and Garth Molloy
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