Cameron John Soutar sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court: Jailed for $65k+ cocaine and MDMA drug trafficking operation

A Townsville electrician was consuming an “eight ball” every weekend while involved in a massive drug operation that spanned over a year, according to his lawyer.

Cameron John Soutar sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court: Jailed for $65k+ cocaine and MDMA drug trafficking operation. Picture: generic

A young tradie who became caught up in a drug operation that spanned for more than a years-long period is behind bars, despite his lawyers fighting for his freedom.

Cameron John Soutar appeared in Townsville Supreme Court on Friday morning with his dad’s support in the back of the courtroom.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate said police searched a Townsville property on September 3 in 2022 where two men including 25-year-old Soutar were present and in his room authorities found $320 in cash, a small amount of cocaine and MDMA and a mobile that contained messages depicting the sale of drugs.

Across 13 and a half months Soutar was involved in trafficking of cocaine and MDMA and although he was referred to as the “subordinate” of the operation in comparison to his partner, he was transferred $65,800 labeled “unexplained income” by Mr Walklate.

“The trafficking itself was street level, it was plainly however for commercial gain, you can see through the messages it was an opportunity to elicit the sale of drugs,” the crown said.

He also noted the total did not take into account the cash deposits.

“(Soutar) was somebody deeply involved in the trafficking,” Mr Walklate said.

“To say he was the subordinate conceals the true nature of their relationship but it wasn’t the case he was simply a runner.”

Mr Walklate said Soutar provided drugs on at least 118 occasions involving at least 30 people however it was hard to be precise due to the deals occurring over Snapchat.

The court was told the qualified electrician had no criminal history and came from a “good home” and had since participated in drug testing which had all shown negative results.

Cameron John Soutar sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court: Jailed for $65k+ cocaine and MDMA drug trafficking operation Generic image.

At one point of the sentence, Justice Tom Sullivan interjected and said he had hoped the young man had “kicked the drug habit” to which Soutar nodded to.

Defence barrister Matthew Hynes instructed by Salt Legal submitted to the court that his client did not need to serve actual time behind bars due to his rehabilitation efforts.

“The argument is whether my client goes out the side door or the back door today,” Mr Hynes said.

“He’s working so hard and he was spending money on the tests and took advice to reel it back.

“He did not slip.”

His Honour highlighted that despite it being “street level” dealings it was very serious.

“He may have been a subordinate but he was right in there and the communications make ugly reading for what he was engaged in,” Justice Sullivan said.

“Drugs are a scourge on this society, particularly what he’s involved with.”

Soutar’s lawyer also said he had developed into a leadership role at work and had matured since being charged before providing information on how his client became involved in the drug trafficking operation.

“He was using party drugs like MDMA then all of a sudden someone introduced him to cocaine,” Mr Hynes said.

“At the height of his use and addiction he was using an eight ball (3.5g) on a night, not every night but a weekend, but every day he was using grams. That’s a huge amount of cocaine for someone.”

When handing down a sentence Justice Sullivan said it was a “surprise” the trafficking went on for as long as it did, and while he noted Soutar had many references depicting their love and support for him His Honour said he found it appropriate that he spend actual time behind bars.

Soutar pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, drug supplying, possessing drugs and possessing items related to drug trafficking.

He was sentenced to four years jail, suspended after serving 12 months for an operational period of four years. Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Cameron John Soutar sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court: Jailed for $65k+ cocaine and MDMA drug trafficking operation