A Benalla truck driver had used "ice" at some point before his B-double rig carrying 59 tonnes of paper was pulled over on the Hume Highway at Table Top.
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Keith Noel Jackson was stopped, Albury Local Court has heard, for routine alcohol and drug tests and a driver diary inspection.
The 37-year-old wasn't happy.
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He immediately got into an argument with police about why he had even been targeted.
Jackson then aired a gripe at being tested, given issues related to the COVID-19 virus and social isolating.
But police did well to check.
Not only was Jackson's compliance diary out-of-date, an oral fluid test revealed there was methamphetamine in his system.
"I haven't had anything," he said of the positive result.
"I gave up 12 months ago."
The court was told Jackson had prior convictions on charges related to both fatigue and critical risk issues.
Magistrate Richard Funston said Jackson taking to the road with an illicit drug in his blood was of great concern.
"In terms of matters of safety on the roads, you can't do any worse than have methamphetamine in your system ... as a truck driver," Mr Funston said.
"It's just disastrous."
Police said Jackson had also been disqualified from driving for six months in Victoria.
"Well," Mr Funston said in response, "it just gets worse for you, Mr Jackson."
Police said Jackson was pulled over as he headed south on the highway on May 15 at 2.16pm.
He began to argue with the officers after he was asked to produce his driver's licence.
When asked about his work diary, he replied: "The diary is full."
For this he was handed two infringement notices.
Mr Funston convicted and fined Jackson, who pleaded guilty, $800 and disqualified him from driving for six months on the illicit drug in oral fluid charge.
He was fined $600, with a concurrent six-month disqualification, for driving while licence suspended.