Warrnambool man charged with drug offences refused bail

Steve Bermingham, 44, of Botanic Road, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with trafficking methamphetamine, handling stolen goods, possessing the suspected proceeds of crime, commit offences while on bail and drug possession.

The court heard he was arrested on Wednesday during a police raid at his home about 9.30am.

A search allegedly uncovered 16 grams of cannabis, 80ml of GHB, eight Diazepam tablets, and six grams of methamphetamine.

The traffickable quantity of methamphetamine is three grams.

Police also seized $1005 believed to be the proceeds of crime, four mobile phones, and a large quantity of tools and two bicycles believed to be stolen.

Some of the tools were labelled.

Mr Bermingham allegedly told police he found the bikes in a skip bin behind a Warrnambool shop and he was attempting to refurbish one.

But Warrnambool police Detective Senior Constable Nick Amos told the court the bicycles had carbon fire frames and would be "extremely expensive".

He said one was believed to be worth over $15,000.

Detective Senior Constable Amos said a warrant was obtained for Wednesday's raid after police observed a number of "unsavoury characters well known to us" briefly entering the Botanic Road property over a few weeks.

At the time of the alleged offending, Mr Bermingham was on bail for allegedly breaching court orders.

During a self-represented bail application, he told the court he purchased the tools for $2800 from South West Tools.

But inquiries with the business showed no evidence of the purchase, the detective said.

Magistrate Nunzio La Rosa said the man had failed to show exceptional circumstances why he should be released from custody and was refused bail.

Mr Bermingham will appear in court again later this month.

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