11.5kg in dope bust

Drug squad police who raided a Stuart Park unit found 11.5kg of cannabis and $55,000 in cash in a wardrobe, Darwin Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

In a bedroom there was an ``apparatus'' for packing cannabis in 14g and 28g bags, police said. The street value of the cannabis was $136,000 if sold in ``wholesale'' 28g lots.

William John McGregor, 60, and Maria Laidat-McGregor, 36, both of Stuart Park, arrested on Monday, faced charges including possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis, supplying a traffickable quantity of cannabis and possessing the cash proceeds of a crime.

William McGregor did not apply for bail and his lawyer Ian Rowbottam said he would plead guilty when his case went up to the Supreme Court.

Maria Laidat-McGregor, an Indonesian-born Australian citizen married to William McGregor, applied for bail.

Mr Rowbottam said she had ``no priors whatsoever'' and it was her first time in custody.

He said the cannabis, in two parcels, was hidden and Ms McGregor was not aware of the quantity. Prosecutor Sergeant Gavin Kennedy said: ``They are co-charged and in my submission both have full knowledge in respect of the offences.''

He said 60g of cannabis was bagged up and Ms McGregor was sent out to sell it to a man at the Darwin suburb The Narrows.

``She was apprehended doing that,'' Sgt Kennedy said.

``In her bedroom was an apparatus for packing cannabis in 14g and 28g bags.''

Magistrate Greg Cavanagh, after adjourning to consider the application, refused bail. He remanded both in custody for a hand-up committal on July 5.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Wed, 25 May 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
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