A MAN from northern NSW allegedly found near Albury with more than 18 kilograms of cannabis leaf with an estimated street value of $148,000 will have the case finalised before a magistrate.
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Solicitor Mark Cronin mentioned the case of Joshua Jake O’Neile in Albury Local Court yesterday when seeking a bail review on his behalf.
Magistrate Tony Murray said during the application that O’Neile, 29, of Pallamallawa, allegedly had a quantity of cannabis five times the indictable quantity.
But Mr Cronin said the case was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions office in Wagga to see whether it would take over the case.
“They have no interest in it,” Mr Cronin said.
He said the case has been referred back to the police and the case will be dealt with in the summary jurisdiction.
There was a successful application for O’Neile to have a curfew removed from his bail conditions.
But he still has to report twice weekly to police at Moree about 30 kilometres from where he lives.
O’Neile has pleaded not guilty to charges of dealing with property suspected of being proceeds of crime and the deemed supply of cannabis leaf.
Mr Murray was told in September in tendered police facts that O’Neile was stopped five kilometres north of Culcairn on the Olympic Way after being detected driving an unregistered Toyota HiLux.
O’Neile produced his NSW driver’s licence and told the officer he had come from Melbourne, but seemed nervous.
When the officer asked if there was anything illegal in it, O’Neile used a key to unlock a canopy on the tray with boxes inside.
The officer opened one of the boxes and saw a large vacuum-sealed plastic bag containing numerous other resealable bags with what appeared to be cannabis inside.
O’Neile was arrested and the vehicle was towed to Albury police station.
Three other boxes were found which contained cannabis, with the total weight of the drug found being 18.3 kilograms.
An amount of $2180 cash was found along with documents containing phone numbers and addresses.
Police seized O’Neile’s mobile phone, found a deposit slip for $6500 and three pre-paid SIM cards.