Pair stands trial over alleged ice trafficking via Australia Post and Spirit of Tasmania
A Hobart pair is currently standing trial after they allegedly trafficked more than a kilogram of the drug ice via Australia Post express parcels and the Spirit of Tasmania. LATEST >
Police & Courts
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A two-week trial has begun for a Hobart pair accused of trafficking more than one kilogram of the drug ice into Tasmania.
Kellie Maree Rhodes and Joshua James Barda are jointly standing trial in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, following allegations they trafficked methylamphetamine into Tasmania between June 21 and July 9, 2020.
In her opening address to the jury, Crown prosecutor Simone Wilson said the state alleged Ms Rhodes was in charge of the trafficking business and had “many customers” she sold to, while Mr Barda assisted her.
Both have pleaded not guilty to a singular charge of trafficking.
Ms Wilson said it was alleged another woman travelled to Melbourne on June 21, collecting 990 grams of ice from a drug supplier in a transaction arranged by Ms Rhodes, and arranged for it to be sent in three express bags via Australia Post to members of Mr Rhodes’ family.
The drugs were allegedly concealed in three gift bags in bath salts jars.
Ms Wilson said when the woman arrived back at Hobart Airport on June 24, she was stopped and searched by police after an alert from a drug detection sniffer dog.
The prosecutor said it was the state’s case that Mr Barda was at the airport to collect the woman, but upon seeing her with police, he alerted Ms Rhodes there was a problem trafficking the ice into Tasmania.
She said both Ms Rhodes and Mr Barda were repeatedly checking Australia Post’s online parcel tracking system.
The following day, Tasmania Police attended the Australia Post depot at Mornington and said they located all three parcels.
They substituted the drugs with rock salt and arranged delivery to two addresses in Glenorchy and West Moonah.
Soon after the parcels were delivered, police executed a search warrant at the West Moonah address, finding two Woolworths shopping bags on the roof containing two of the unopened Australia Post parcels.
Police also allegedly found $22,800 in cash at the premises.
Mr Barda, who was allegedly at the property, told police he was just visiting the home to visit its residents because they were his friends.
Ms Wilson said on July 6, Ms Rhodes allegedly travelled to Melbourne with a man to purchase about 500 grams of ice.
She said those drugs were ultimately imported into Tasmania on July 9 when the pair arrived in Devonport on the Spirit of Tasmania with a Commodore wagon and a Mercedes Benz.
The pair was allegedly nabbed in Tasmania by drug detection dogs, with police finding the drugs stashed in the Commodore.
“The back seat was loose. They lifted up the seat and saw a section of the car’s floor had been removed,” Ms Wilson said.
She said two PVC pipes were found floating in the fuel tank, which contained 476.4 grams of ice.
The trial continues Tuesday.
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