A Sunshine Coast woman who imported drugs into Queensland via international mail and told police she thought the packages contained cleaning products has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Nikita Louise Pallister, 35, of Image Flat, faced Brisbane Supreme Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to two charges of importing commercial quantities of a border-controlled drug.
In December 2020, the Australian Border Force in Sydney detected one-litre and 250-millilitre bottles of liquid contained in two packages addressed to Pallister.
Crown prosecutor Michael Bonasia said testing revealed the liquid to be gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) with a purity of 96 per cent, which converts in the human body to gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
GHB is a powerful depressant that is commonly used at dance music events or as a date rape drug.
“In total it was 3947.4 grams of pure GBL with an estimated wholesale value equated to $11,840,” Mr Bonasia said.
Police searched Pallister’s home on January 21, 2021, and she admitted to being responsible for the packages.
“In a recorded interview with police she attempted to minimise her knowledge of the substance and said it was a cleaning product for her business,” Mr Bonasia said.
Mr Bonasia said the police discovered text messages that indicated Pallister did know what was actually contained in the bottles.
Pallister pleaded guilty during the late stages of a trial on the drug import charges after her legal team withdrew their representation.
Mr Bonasia questioned whether such a late guilty plea deserved a sentence discount as it raised doubts about whether it reflected any remorse.
Justice Tom Sullivan said he would still consider the plea as part of his sentencing.
“It’s a very late plea indeed but nonetheless a plea is a plea,” Justice Sullivan said.
Pallister’s barrister, Adrian Braithwaite, said his client continued to struggle with pains of drug addiction after personal circumstances sent her into a downward spiral after 10 years of gainful employment.
“This was an amateur attempt to import drugs that used (Pallister’s) real name and address and was always destined to fail,” Mr Braithwaite said.
Mr Braithwaite said Pallister had significant difficulties in her childhood and used drugs from aged 12 as a way to self-medicate for her major depression and post-traumatic stress.
Justice Sullivan said Pallister’s offences did not have individual victims but they were serious in nature.
“The importation of these types of drugs are a blight on society,” Justice Sullivan said.
Pallister wiped tears from her eyes as Justice Sullivan told her she needed to treat her drug addiction as it would otherwise lead her back into custody and potentially an early death.
Justice Sullivan ordered Pallister to be released on parole after serving 10 months and that she would spend the next 24 months under supervision.
Pallister was also placed on a $500 good behaviour bond for three years.
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