Andrew Douglas Pullen, 29, of Gnotuk Road, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday to trafficking Oxycontin and cannabis, assault, theft and attempted theft. Mid last year Warrnambool police began Operation Underfeed to focus on the trafficking of Oxycontin in the Camperdown area by Pullen.

The Victoria Supreme Court issued a telephone intercept order and between July and August Pullen was involved in 142 text messages and conversations relating to trafficking drugs, particularly Oxycontin.

Police detailed almost daily conversations and text messages between Pullen and a number of Camperdown people, many of whom legally obtained Oxycontin through prescriptions.

Pullen was claimed to be an opiate addict who was desperate for Oxycontin, otherwise known as hillbilly heroin.  Police executed a number of search warrants on August 31 last year in Camperdown and Terang and seized a number of mobile telephones at Pullen’s home as well as $480 in cash.

Late last year Pullen tried to steal a bottle of spirits from a Camperdown supermarket but was caught by a staff member and later tried to steal whiskey from another supermarket.

He also pleaded guilty to punching his mother-in-law to the face after an argument which happened after Pullen lost his licence due to demerit points.

A defence solicitor said Pullen had been using one tablet of Oxycontin a day and he had been involved in low-level dealing to feed his addiction.

Magistrate Peter Mellas heard that Oxycontin was readily available and that two co-offenders had been fined $3000 for their part in the Camperdown hillbilly heroin ring.

Pullen will be assessed to see if he is suitable to undertake a community corrections order and sentencing will be finalised on Thursday. He was yesterday released on bail until then.