Drug find in mailbox catches DJ

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A GOLD Coast disc jockey was discovered to be a drug dealer when a box containing a shipment of marijuana broke open in the mail.

Mark Jason Smith, 31, of Burleigh Waters, yesterday pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrate's Court to charges of drug trafficking.

The court was told Smith was stung after Australia Post employees noticed the odour of marijuana wafting from a broken Express Post box sent from South Australia to Smith's home address in September last year.

Police were alerted and set up a covert operation, sending in an undercover agent to act as a courier to deliver the package.

About 4.5kg of cannabis sativa in vacuum-sealed bags was discovered when police raided the house, finding other Express Post boxes from previous deliveries.


Police also discovered several thousand dollars in cash, believed to be the proceeds of drug sales.

A police witness told the court that marijuana traffic into Queensland from South Australia had steadily increased, due to SA's lax laws covering personal possession and use of the drug.

Smith was committed to stand trial in Brisbane Supreme Court on a date to be fixed.

Other residents of Smith's apartment were also charged with drug-related offences and will appear in Southport Court in November.

news.com.au
By Joel Dullroy
September 08, 2004
© The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...55E421,00.html