A Warrnambool man was caught with quantities of drugs, cash and weapons just months after being convicted over his involvement in a large-scale drug operation in the south-west.
Jacob Arndell, 30, was last year jailed for the 126 days he spent in custody on remand after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine, possessing MDMA and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Those charges related to a police raid in May 2020 at Arndell's home, which uncovered more than 20 grams of methamphetamine, 4.8 grams of MDMA, a set of knuckle dusters and drug paraphernalia.
The raid was part of Operation Abalone, which police established in September 2019 in order to investigate the delivery of drugs and cash to and from Melbourne, Geelong, Warrnambool and south-east South Australia.
Arndell was placed on a community correction order and told by a magistrate at the time that if he sold drugs again, he'd be looking at 12 months' jail.
Then on March 18, members of the Victoria Police western region crime squad attended Arndell's address and observed a vehicle arrive and leave within five minutes.
That vehicle was kept under observation before being intercepted and searched, locating five grams of methamphetamine.
Arndell's home was raided again on April 6.
Investigators located and seized two grams of methamphetamine, two vials of GHB, three sets of digital scales, and a large quantity of empty zip-lock bags.
Police also uncovered three knuckle dusters, a star-bladed knife and $2600 cash believed to be the proceeds of crime.
The man was arrested at his place of employment and found in possession of a glass pipe containing remnants of the drug ice.
He was remanded in custody where he spent the following 113 days.
Arndell pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court last week to possessing methamphetamine, GHB and weapons, and bail offences.
A single charge of trafficking methamphetamine was withdrawn.
Nadia Giorgianni, representing Arndell, said the drug and alcohol component of the man's community correction order didn't start until three months after he was sentenced in December.
She said drug use was something he had battled with from a young age and rehabilitation needed to be at the forefront of sentencing.
The man was jailed for the 113 days he had already served and re-sentenced to a 15-month correction order.
That order will include treatment for drug abuse and 143 hours of unpaid community work, which remained on the initial order he was sentenced to last year.
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Jessica Howard
Email: jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
Email: jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
