TWO people charged with drug trafficking following a police raid in Portland have been refused bail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kylie Searle, 40, and Paul Gleeson, 56, faced court after police allegedly uncovered drugs, mobile phones and cash at an early morning raid at their Blair Street address in Portland on Tuesday, January 18.
Police began investigating activity at the address after receiving multiple reports from community members about suspicious loitering at the property.
Officers allegedly seized 10 grams of heroin worth an estimated street value of $6000 as well as $1600 in cash, and several mobile phones.
Police arrested the pair at the property.
Ms Searle was charged with trafficking heroin, possessing a traffickable quantity of heroin, possessing of proceeds of crime, and two counts of committing an indictable offence whilst on bail.
Mr Gleeson was charged with trafficking heroin, possessing a traffickable quantity of heroin, and possessing proceeds of crime.
Mr Gleeson's application for bail failed before the court on Tuesday and Ms Searle's on Wednesday.
The court heard Ms Searle admitted the white substance found by police was heroin, and said it must have been missed during the last police raid at her address in January last year.
She claimed the $630 located in her wallet was from her disability support pension and from the sale of pet rabbits. She was unable to say where the $1500 located on co-accused Paul Gleeson was from.
During a bail application on Wednesday afternoon defence lawyer William Hart argued jail time would be detrimental for Ms Searle and would undermine recent progress made in mental health counselling.
Magistrate Nunzio La Rosa said Ms Searle's prior convictions thwarted her chance for bail. They include alleged trafficking of heroin most recently on December 21 last year, which she was granted appeal bail for.
"The likely sentence may well be a significant term of imprisonment," Mr La Rosa said.
"She is currently on the methadone program, yet it is clearly insufficient because she made the concession to police of using a gram (of heroin) a week.
"She was granted appeal bail and has continued her engagement with drugs."
The pair were remanded in custody and will face Portland Magistrates' Court on February 15 2022 for further mention.
IN OTHER NEWS: