Glenn Raymond Smith sentenced to nine years in prison over drug trafficking in Cairns

A man will face a lengthy stint in prison over a “sophisticated” wholesale drug trafficking operation that saw him busted with $225,000 worth of cocaine in a Yorkeys Knob unit. Find out more.

DRUG trafficker Glenn Raymond Smith will serve nine years in prison after his sentence was handed down in the Cairns Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The prosecution got exactly what it sought from Justice James Henry after prosecutor Tegan Grasso called for Mr Smith’s conviction to be met by a sentence of not less than nine years.

Defence barrister James Sheridan earlier told the court his client received “no outward financial benefit” and had pre-existing psychological ailments.

Smith’s sentencing began on Monday, but was adjourned to Tuesday for Justice Henry to consider the defence and prosecution submissions further.

Little sympathy for Cairns labourer charged with drug trafficking

EARLIER: A Cairns Supreme Court judge had little sympathy for a man on drug trafficking charges whose defence lawyer said he suffered from anxiety, depression, and claustrophobia.

Glenn Raymond Smith, 57, appeared in Cairns Supreme Court for sentencing over four counts of dangerous drug possession and one count each of drug trafficking, possessing anything used in connection with a crime and property suspected of being proceeds of an offence.

Prosecutor Tegan Grasso said the operation “had some level of sophistication” and that police surveillance recorded Mr Smith, a labourer, as saying it was “easy money” and bragging about profits.

Ms Grasso said it was a very profitable operation.

They were among several men arrested in a Yorkeys Knob unit in January 2021.

Police seized about 740g of cocaine, with a street value of about $225,000, along with about 340g of methylamphetamine, worth about $190,000, along with 28g of MDMA and a substantial amount of cash, some of which was hidden under the kitchen sink.

Glenn Raymond Smith will learn his fate in Cairns Supreme Court on October 11.

The court heard Mr Smith paid for everything in cash and at one point deposited $25,000 cash to his Sportsbet account.

Ms Grasso sought a sentence of not less than nine years.

Defence barrister James Sheridan acknowledged his client was operating a wholesale drug trafficking operation.

“He accepts that he obviously made a profit from the operation, but in fact, the seizure of the cash and the drugs he had reinvested in has really left him with no outward financial benefit,” he said.

“There were life challenges he was exposed to as a younger man, whereby his mother was a long-term alcoholic and his father was a strict disciplinarian … but that did not stop him from being otherwise a responsible member of the community,” Mr Sheridan said.

He tendered a psychologist’s report on Mr Smith, who has been on bail since January last year, stating Mr Smith had anxiety, depression and claustrophobia.

“A lot of people suffer from anxiety and depression that go to jail for a long time,” Justice James Henry retorted.

Mr Sheridan noted the psychologist’s report indicated Mr Smith may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but Justice Henry questioned how that was relevant.

“You are probably aware some judges aren’t too keen on a PTSD diagnosis without some decent foundational material for it and generally a report by a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist,” Justice Henry said.

Justice Henry adjourned the sentencing to 4pm on October 11.

Originally published as Glenn Raymond Smith sentenced to nine years in prison over drug trafficking in Cairns