Stephen James Williams jailed for trafficking heroin, ice, MDMA/MDA in Launceston

A Launceston drug trafficker’s run came to an end after he was caught trafficking meth, heroin and MDMA while operating businesses as a ‘front’ to hide his nefarious enterprise. DETAILS >

Launceston Supreme Court. Picture: Patrick Gee

A Launceston drug trafficker’s run came to an end after he was caught trafficking meth, heroin and MDMA while operating businesses as a ‘front’ to hide his nefarious enterprise.

Stephen James Williams, 41, was found guilty by a jury in September 2022 on one count of trafficking in a controlled substance.

And on March 17, 2023, he pleaded guilty to a single count each of receiving stolen property, and property suspected of being proceeds of crime.

Justice Robert Pearce in court documents said it was “impossible” to figure out just how much Williams made through the trafficking, and described Williams’ actions – which spanned July 2017 to November 2019 – as a “serious case of trafficking”.

During that time, Williams would acquire and distribute mostly ice, heroin and ecstasy.

“I am satisfied you were the principal and driving force behind the business,” Justice Pearce said.

During the trafficking period, Williams operated a motorcycle business from a building in an industrial premises at Killafaddy in Launceston’s outer east.

Williams trafficked in drugs including heroin, meth and MDA/MDMA. Pic. John Donegan

Respective searches at various locations on dates in July 2017, July 2018 and November 2019 uncovered drugs and cash which Justice Pearce deemed to have belonged to Williams.

In one search, 109g of heroin powder was found, as well as 34gm meth – the total value of which was $190k.

Days later, $13,200 cash was found in Williams’ home.

In another search of one of the dilapidated buildings at the Killafaddy premises 800 MDA (ecstasy tables) valued at $800k, $53k worth of heroin and $29k of ice were found.

Justice Pearce said Williams in 2019 was also “involved” in a licensed premises on York St, which he intended to operate as a nightclub.

Williams offered $10k to the manager as an incentive to lease him the hotel – but later after being denied a licence, he persuaded another man to sign a lease for the owner to continue as a licensee.

Court documents show this was Williams’ third drug trafficking conviction.

By November the hotel was operating as a nightclub with staff, three days a week with Williams in charge

A police search found $126k in cash at an employee’s home which belonged to Williams.

The stolen goods charge related to coins, coin sets, notes and documents which had been taken from a George Town address in June 2021 – and $6,737.50 in drug sale proceeds.

“Your related activities, even if, like the Lloyds Hotel business, they also served some other commercial purpose, were principally a front of the trafficking and a means of facilitating it,” Justice Pearce said.

He said he found that the trafficking was motivated “purely by profit”, noting this was Williams’ third trafficking conviction.

Williams was sentenced to a total term of six year and three months jail from 14 May 2022, with eligibility for parole after serving four years.