North Queensland prisoners busted selling drugs from behind bars | FULL LIST
Prisoners were busted selling a new, almost undetectable drug from behind bars in an intense police and corrective services operation conducted last year. Here’s all the offenders who have been sentenced in Townsville courts following the sting.
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At least 19 prisoners were exposed following an intense police and corrective services operation that sought to bust the offenders selling drugs from behind bars.
In the last 12-18 months the black market drug trade led to an increase in Buprenorphine being smuggled into the prison.
It is a prescription opiate used to help wean people off ice and heroin, sold as Suboxone (also referred to as ‘subbies’) and attractive to prisoners as it comes in the form of a thin, almost undetectable tab.
Last year Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Watts told the Townsville Bulletin that the drug was “extremely difficult” to detect as it was easy to conceal.
While there are still offenders yet to be sentenced for the sting, here is a list of the prisoners caught selling the drug from behind bars so far.
Daniel John McLachlan: $60k in ‘subbies’ bound for prison found in bust
A man has been jailed for attempting to import a large quantity of Suboxone into the men’s prison at Townsville Correctional Centre – and is one of the first convicted here over smuggling this cult drug.
Daniel John McLachlan, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying the dangerous drug Buprenorphine to a correctional facility and four counts of illegally making conference calls from within the prison while a prisoner.
Prosecutor PJ Newman said McLachlan had a seven-page criminal history that included 40 convictions for drug offences that included trafficking.
Judge William Everson described him as a ‘recidivist drug offender at a very young age’.
He sentenced McLachlan to two years’ jail with immediate parole eligibility, taking into account the 205 days he had served on remand.
Aaron David Leigh Walker: Bra smuggle fail leads to prison drug bust
A prisoner who was one of many busted in a police operation that’s uncovered the supply of a cult drug in jail has fronted court after his drug drop failed.
Aaron David Leigh Walker appeared in Townsville District Court this week after he was caught supplying the drug Suboxone to himself in the Townsville Correctional Centre, and has been the second of 19 prisoners to be sentenced after they were caught smuggling the drug also known as ‘subbies’ into the jail.
Crown prosecutor Shannon Sutherland said the 34-year-old was serving a nine-month jail sentence for drug-related offending when he supplied the drugs to himself.
The court was told on September 24 in 2022 Walker snuck 60 strips of Suboxone into the prison for himself, at the street value of $250 per strip.
Ms Sutherland said during the third offence the man attempted to smuggle 159 strips, which equalled to $47,700 street value, into the facility however the plan fell apart when his girlfriend, Maddison Paige Manson, who had snuck the drugs into her bra was searched by police.
A Queensland Police spokesperson said Mason was charged with one count each of supplying and possessing drugs in relation to the drug drop attempt.
She pleaded guilty to the set of charges on December 15 last year in Townsville District Court.
Defence barrister Harvey Walters noted the man’s family sitting in the back of the courtroom and said he had finished completing up to a year 10 education while in prison among other mental health programs.
The man pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying dangerous drugs within a correctional facility.
He was sentenced to three and a half years jail.
Judge Everson declared the 212 days Walker spent in pre-sentence custody as time served and set a parole eligibility date to July 31, 2024.
Kim William Serventy: Man’s ‘rapid decline’ after drugs take over life
A long-term heavy drug user and supplier tried to organise 150 strips of ‘subbies’ to be brought into the Townsville Men’s Correctional Centre while he was remanded inside.
Kim William Serventy, 38, pleaded guilty to 13 drug related offences that mainly involved the possession and supply of a range of dangerous drugs including Buprenorphine when he appeared before the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Crown Prosecutor Rana Aldas said Serventy had a 10-page criminal history which mainly involved dangerous drug offences, and Wednesday was his third appearance in the Supreme Court.
Serventy’s barrister, Harvey Walters, said his client was an intelligent man with a degree in IT and had worked in the IT industry in Brisbane for about 10 years.
He said Serventy had served 521 days in pre-sentence custody and was still hopeful of eventually beating the drug addiction.
Justice David North said Serventy had an appalling history of offending, particularly to do with drugs.
He sentenced him to 3.5 years’ imprisonment.
Kye Andrew Niveri: Man’s subbies and meth deals behind bars
A man with a nine-page criminal history who has continued to make drug deals from behind bars has fronted court for attempting to supply subbies and meth by making phone calls to unapproved contacts.
Kye Andrew Niveri appeared in Townsville District Court recently after he made arrangements to supply 85 Suboxone strips while he was an inmate at Townsville Correctional Centre.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Newman told the court the 30-year-old made the initial deal with a partner outside of prison on an unknown date between October 1, 2022 and November 1, 2022.
Mr Newman said the man’s partner with whom he made the arrangements through, was taken off his approved caller list however he continued to make six phone calls to another contact who would put him through to his partner to make further arrangements for the drug supplies.
Defence barrister Ross Malcolmson, instructed by Resolute Legal said his client had been behind bars since 2020 and applied for parole but was refused.
“It’s unknown if he’ll be granted parole given his recent behaviour,” he said.
Niveri pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying dangerous drugs and six counts of calling an approved number and requesting to conference with someone else.
He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail and is eligible for parole immediately.
Cody Liam Saran: Drug trafficking offence exposed day of parole release
A prisoner who had just been let out on parole, went straight back in after police conducted a search warrant of his home the day he got out of jail and found evidence of his involvement in a major drug enterprise.
Cody Liam Saran appeared in Townsville District Court on Monday via video link where the details of his involvement in drug trafficking from jail were revealed.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Newman said between August 19 and November 22 in 2022, the 26-year-old assisted a principal offender in trafficking the drug buprenorphine to other inmates.
Saran was sentenced as a ‘party’ to the offending as he withheld a more minor position in the enterprise in comparison to the principal offender who was charged with trafficking and sentenced on May 3 this year to three and a half years’ jail with an immediate parole eligibility date after already spending 307 days in custody.
Mr Newman told the court Saran and his co-offender supplied up to 35 customers in Townsville Correctional Centre, with 95 deposits being made to a total of $15,885.
Defence barrister Kelly Stone instructed by Resolute Legal submitted a psychological report which stated Saran was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as well as a drug dependent disorder.
Saran pleaded guilty to trafficking drugs and possessing drugs.
He was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail with a parole eligibility date of August 29. At the end of the man’s matter he asked if he could see his grandma on video link which the court obliged – and he told her he loved her and would see her soon.
Originally published as North Queensland prisoners busted selling drugs from behind bars | FULL LIST
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