A Sydney man has been sentenced to 16-and-a-half years in a West Australian jail after police found a massive quantity of methylamphetamine hidden in the panels of his utility vehicle. John Joseph Cain, 44, was arrested in June 2018 on Great Eastern Highway near Northam, following a tip-off through Crimestoppers.
WA's District Court heard that a detailed examination of the ute, including x-ray analysis, uncovered about 25 vacuum-sealed packages concealed in the vehicle's panels. Each package contained nearly one kilogram of methylamphetamine, with purity levels between 75 and 82 per cent. Police estimated the drugs had a street value of around $25 million.
Additional packages containing about 300 grams of cocaine were also found, and a further 23 grams of methylamphetamine was discovered hidden in the dashboard after Cain's passenger, Angie Donaldson, informed police. The court heard Donaldson was a long-term friend who had 'gone along for the ride' but had no knowledge of the bulk of the drugs.
The satellite navigator revealed Cain's destination was an address in Woodlands. When police searched the house, they found it mostly empty except for a dining table, a large-screen television, a vacuum package sealer, plastic bags and rubber gloves. Cain initially claimed ignorance but later admitted he agreed to transport the drugs to pay off a significant drug debt.
Judge Belinda Lonsdale described the quantity as 'colossal' and said Cain must have been 'a trusted person' in a larger drug syndicate. 'You played an integral role in the distribution of drugs,' she told him. Cain pleaded guilty to multiple charges of possessing drugs with intent to sell or supply and was sentenced to 16 years and six months in jail, with eligibility for parole at the end of 2032.
Donaldson pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing drugs and was sentenced to four years and six months in jail, with eligibility for parole after serving two-and-a-half years.
