POLICE busted a 44-year-old former security guard ordering methamphetamine, of 82 per cent purity, on the dark web by intercepting the package and replacing the drugs with a fake substance that was delivered to a Greenwood home.
Damian Lee Starkey faced Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday, after pleading guilty to methamphetamine possession and intending to sell or supply cannabis.
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READ NOWStarkey avoided a hefty penalty, with Magistrate Elaine Campione sentencing him to a 12-month intensive supervision order.
The court heard Starkey would order drugs through the dark web by getting a friend to help him do it.
On one occasion, authorities discovered nearly 7g of methamphetamine in a package that was headed for Starkey’s address, but Starkey had put the name of his former housemate on the delivery.
Officers seized the drug, replaced it with a fake and returned it to transit.
Police raided the Greenwood property on January 18 last year, discovering the package, as well as nearly 80g of cannabis, 29g of cannabis resin, about 10g of powdered cannabis and 64 cannabis seeds.
They also found unlicensed ammunition.
Duty lawyer Jodette Reynolds, representing the offender, emphasised Starkey ordered the drugs for personal use.
But police charged him with possessing cannabis with intent to sell or supply because officers found text messages referencing drugs on his phone.
Starkey denied he was involved in a drug dealing operation, but admitted to providing cannabis to friends.
Ms Reynolds said Starkey had used cannabis since he was 13 and this experience had been a “massive wake-up call for him” and deterred him from using drugs.
“As soon police entered the home all the drug use ceased,” she said.
She said the ammunition was in the house from his days as a security guard.
The magistrate said the fact the methamphetamine was high purity was “of particular concern”.
In reference to the cannabis, she reminded Starkey that supplying drugs to someone came under the serious charge of intending to sell or supply, regardless of whether it was for financial gain.
“These are serious offences, although cannabis is viewed as a gateway drug… you were dealing,” she said.
Starkey also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, one count of possessing an unlawfully obtained $920 and one count of possessing unlicensed ammunition.
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