Mildura Law Courts.
A MAN caught by police in Mildura last week with almost five times the trafficable quantity of methamphetamine has been jailed.
The Mildura Magistrates’ Court was yesterday told that 31-year-old Jade Ashley Rogers became aggressive, agitated and nervous towards police when he was intercepted in a car in San Mateo Avenue about 8.30pm last Friday.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Snell said police observed Rogers stuffing something into his pants and also located two mobile phones and two zip lock bags on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.
Sgt Snell said a search of the man’s vehicle turned up two bags of drugs, a white powder substance, scales, lighters, a glass pipe and a fold-out metal spoon.
The prosecutor said that when police attempted to search the man, he again became aggressive, agitated and nervous, and began to kick at police and move away from them to hinder the search.
Sgt Snell said that after the accused was re-apprehended, he continued to throw his arms and legs about and attempted to dispose of evidence.
He said police located a large amount of a white crystal substance, black gloves and a small screwdriver on the man, who returned a positive result for being under the influence of illicit drugs following an oral test.
The court was told more than 14g of methamphetamine was seized, with 3g being a trafficable quantity, and that the accused was alleged to have been a “mid-range” drug dealer.
Sgt Snell said text messages found on Rogers’ mobile phones indicated he had taken part in trafficking illicit substances.
When questioned by police, the prosecutor said Rogers denied trafficking drugs and challenged whether police had located any drugs in his possession.
Defence counsel Jade Bott said her client had a drug-related criminal history, but not of trafficking, which she said was “a very serious matter”.
Ms Bott said Rogers had battled a drug addiction, and had a desire and prospects of rehabilitation.
She said the accused was “very regretful” about his conduct with police and he was not someone with a propensity for violence.
For more of this story, purchase your copy of Thursday's Sunraysia Daily 11/10/2012.