A WARRNAMBOOL cannabis dealer working on a small profit margin when selling to friends has been fined $3000 and received a four-month suspended jail sentence.
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Jake Bevan, 33, of Caramut Road, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday to trafficking cannabis.
Police said that in late March last year Bevan started selling cannabis but in the following months built up to dealing in larger amounts.
Bevan started dealing cannabis once or twice a week but by November was selling drugs between four and eight times a week, buying cannabis for $210 an ounce and on-selling it for $230.
Police investigations into other cannabis and ice trafficking led to Bevan’s activities being uncovered.
Officers executed a search warrant on December 18 last year which led to Bevan being interviewed. He co-operated with police, saying he started dealing in drugs to make extra money to supplement his Centrelink payments and spent the money on living expenses.
Police said that during the eight months of his dealing Bevan sold between $460 and $1380 of drugs each week — a total turnover of between $14,000 and $44,000.
Defence counsel Matt Senia said his client had been a cannabis user who became known as someone who could source the drug.
He said Bevan then bought extra to supply his friends but his profit margin of $20 for each ounce was low.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said Bevan was now back working, in a stable relationship and supporting two young children. He said the profit made was relatively modest and there was no evidence of an excessive lifestyle or any other criminal activity.
