Update, November 29: A Koroit grandmother charged with trafficking high-grade cannabis has been released on strict-conditional bail as she awaits a contested hearing.
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Tracey Mahony, 54, of Commercial Road, made a bail application in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday.
Koroit police Sergeant Pat Day said police opposed bail, stating there were concerns Ms Mahony would not abide by bail conditions if she was released from custody.
He told the court the 542 grams of cannabis found in Ms Mahony's home was "exceptionally good quality", and banking records revealed she made regular trips to South Australia, Ballarat and metropolitan Melbourne.
An analysis of her mobile phone also revealed "blatant evidence of her meeting people in car parks, interstate, in Warrnambool and other areas," Sergeant Day said.
He said he was shocked to see how many messages there were relating to drug trafficking over a long period of time.
Ms Mahony's lawyer said she had spent 126 days in custody on remand and had another six months to go before her next court date, when she plans to contest a charge of possessing proceeds of crime.
The lawyer said if his client was found not guilty, there was a real risk of her spending more time in custody than she would be sentenced to.
He said Ms Mahony had a significant drug issue but had been clean and sober during the five months spent on remand.
The magistrate said he was satisfied there were compelling reasons why Ms Mahony should be released on bail and that strict conditions, including rehabilitation, were essential.
The accused was released on custody with conditions, including she report to police three times a week, reside at a static address, not leave the state of Victoria, not contact witnesses, abide by an 8pm to 7am curfew, and undergo treatment and assessment for drug abuse.
She will appear in court again on June 3 next year.
Earlier, November 24: A Koroit grandmother charged with trafficking high-grade cannabis will remain in custody for another seven months as she awaits a contested hearing.
Tracey Mahony, 54, of Commercial Road, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court via video-link from a Victorian prison, where she has spent the past four months on remand.
Ms Mahony is charged with trafficking cannabis and possessing $21,000 cash believed to be proceeds of crime.
Lawyer Alexander McCulloch told the court his client did not deny trafficking cannabis but said the cash was not acquired through illegal means.
He said Ms Mahony obtained the $21,000 from either her mother or from working three cash-in-hand jobs.
A letter referencing payments from Ms Mahony's mother was tendered to the court.
Mr McCulloch said his client would contest the proceeds of crime charge despite magistrate Julie Grainger stating she would have a hard time doing so.
The matter was adjourned to the next available date for a one-day contested hearing - June 3 next year.
Ms Mahony has not applied for bail and has been on remand since her arrest on July 26.
The court heard on July 12 this year police stopped and searched two separate people seen entering Ms Mahony's home in Koroit's Commercial Road. They were found in possession of a combined 43 grams of high-grade cannabis.
That led to a search warrant at the property on July 26. Police uncovered 542 grams of cannabis, $21,000 cash and a white bucket with 'devils lettuce' marked on the top.
Ms Mahony was allegedly asked to unlock her phone for examination but instead threw it into an open fire and tried to push it into the flames with a fire poker.
Police seized the phone and located messages relating to drug trafficking that dated back to November 2018.
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