Alleged bungled drug run leaves four men in a tinnie stranded 65km out to sea

A MAN allegedly involved in a bungled drug run between Darwin and the Tiwi Islands that left him stranded 65km from shore after accidentally following a battleship out to sea, has faced the first day of his trial.

Ben Les Tipiloura has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court to possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis. Picture: Che Chorley

A MAN allegedly involved in a bungled drug run between Darwin and the Tiwi Islands that left him stranded 65km from shore after accidentally following a battleship out to sea, has faced the first day of his trial.

Ben Les Tipiloura pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court to possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis following the ill-fated voyage in May 2018.

In his opening address, Crown prosecutor John Ibbotson told the jury Tipiloura and three other men left Wurrumiyanga about 7pm in a 5m tinnie before landing at Buffalo Creek about two hours later.

Once there the four men allegedly picked up a bag containing 618.4g of cannabis that they planned to take back to the Tiwis in exchange for a small share of the drugs and a bottle of Bundy each.

Mr Ibbotson said the boat’s crew headed for home but ran into trouble after mistaking a light source on a distant battleship for dry land.

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“They thought they were following a lighthouse or a stationary light on land,” he said.

“Unfortunately, in this case, as became apparent the following morning when daylight struck — they’d actually been following a warship and were out in the Timor Sea about 65km off the coast of Darwin.

Then the engine ran out of fuel, so they were drifting, four men in an aluminium dinghy going west away from the Wurrumiyanga community in the Tiwi Islands.”

About 9pm the following evening the stranded tinnie was spotted by an Australian Border Force plane and a nearby supply ship picked them up after midnight.

Mr Ibbotson said police searched the tinnie and found the bag containing the drugs under the floor, told the foursome they were under arrest and explained their rights.

He said each of the men “made admissions to having done this, including Mr Tipiloura.

“Admissions to travelling to Buffalo Creek, collecting the cannabis and alcohol.”

“Then turning around with the intention of returning to the Tiwi Islands, supposedly to give to another man.”

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Mr Tipiloura’s lawyer, Catherine Voumard, did not address the jury.

The trial continues before Chief Justice Michael Grant.

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