Riverina drug dealer avoids jail term after major police bust

Young woman Candese Houia was convicted in Cootamundra Local Court on Monday on two charges related to prohibited drug supply and sentenced to an 18-month intensive corrections order to be served in the community.

The 46-year-old was one of six people charged after police seized $12,000 worth of prohibited drugs following a two-day operation targeting the supply of drugs across the state's south.

In May 2023, police established Strike Force Elsimer to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs in the Young area.

Following inquiries, strike force investigators searched three homes in Young on July 27, 2023.

During a search of the properties, police found 279 grams of cannabis, three cannabis plants, 1 gram of cocaine, 178 MDMA capsules, steroids, and $5213 in cash.

All the items were seized for forensic examination and police estimated the seized drugs to have a potential street value of $12,000.

Jack Woodham, 22, Kate Maher, 33, and Houia - all of Young - were arrested and charged over the cash and drug haul. Yass man Harrison Corcoran, 24, was also arrested in relation to the drug bust.

Following further inquiries, strike force investigators conducted a high-visibility operation at licensed premises across the Young, Harden and Cootamundra areas on July 28, 2023.

During the operation, one knife was seized, and Shannon Campbell, 47 and Niuamoto Leulu, 45, were charged after they were allegedly found with MDMA and cannabis at hotels in Cootamundra and Young respectively.

In August 2023, Leulu was convicted in his absence by Magistrate Don McLennan in Young Local Court on one count of possessing a prohibited drug. He was also fined $100.

In October 2023, Corcoran was given a 12-month conditional release order without conviction after pleading guilty to supplying up to an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug.

A charge of possessing a prohibited drug against Campbell, was dismissed and withdrawn.

In May this year, Woodham was convicted by Magistrate Anthony Murray in Young Local Court for possessing or attempting to prescribe a prohibited substance and having a prohibited drug. He was fined $1000.

Also in May, Maher was sentenced to a seven-month intensive corrections order to be served in the community for a series of charges including supplying up to a small quantity of a prohibited drug and supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis.

Maher was also sentenced for counts of deemed supply of more than an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, recklessly dealing with up to $5000 - the proceeds of crime, and possessing a prohibited drug. She was also fined $400.