A actuality TV star has spent virtually two months behind bars after she was charged with being concerned in a world drug provide and money-laundering syndicate.
Marjorie Griffiths went from showing on tv in the latest season of The Bachelor to showing in court docket after she was arrested for drug provide and cash laundering.
The 26-year-old was woken by closely armed specialist law enforcement officials and arrested throughout a daybreak raid on her house in Umina Beach, on the NSW Central Coast, on October 26.
She has been charged with charged with supplying 1kg of cocaine to an undercover police operative on March 7 earlier than supplying 1kg of MDMA to an unknown particular person in June.
The cleansing firm worker can also be accused of knowingly coping with a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} which had been the proceeds of a criminal offense.
Police allege she was a serious participant in a felony community that equipped massive portions of medicine earlier than laundering the earnings of the illicit drug gross sales by a world syndicate.
On Wednesday, her lawyer James Lang argued there was no proof his shopper knew what she was transporting when she allegedly adopted instructions to gather baggage and containers.
He claimed there was “no evidence” Ms Griffiths knew who she was assembly with or why on the seven events she allegedly equipped medication or laundered money.
“(The crown has) surveillance evidence that is consistent with a circumstantial case … that Ms Griffiths has taken packages, either in the form of a box or a bag, that variously contained either a prohibited drug … or cash,” Mr Lang mentioned.
At its highest, he mentioned the police case painted Ms Griffiths as merely “a courier” who was “serving a function of someone who’s of a much higher criminality”.
Crown prosecutor Jade Pearson mentioned the investigation into the felony syndicate was ongoing, and several other key parts of the temporary in opposition to Ms Griffiths nonetheless needed to be collected.
Key amongst them is an announcement from an secret agent, who the court docket was instructed obtained 1kg of cocaine straight from the truth TV character on March 7.
Ms Pearson mentioned police had been nonetheless attempting to unlock two telephones that had been in Ms Griffiths’ possession on the time of her arrest that might additionally include helpful data.
The 26-year-old has been charged with failing at hand over the PIN code to an digital system after an order from police.
Ms Pearson acknowledged there wasn’t “sufficient” proof from telephone faucets or listening gadgets to help the crown in establishing data of Ms Griffith’s alleged offences.
She additionally instructed the court docket there was no forensic proof tying the truth TV character to any of the gadgets seized by police in the course of the raid, together with money and medicines.
“At present, it’s accepted that it’s not the strongest crown case,” the crown prosecutor conceded.
Mr Lang instructed the court docket the complexity of the case and the continuing nature of the investigation meant Ms Griffiths might be ready in custody on remand for an extended interval than she would serve if convicted.
“It’s not a simple matter that will be over quickly,” he mentioned, noting it was agreed the matter would nonetheless be in court docket in 2025.
Justice Julia Lonergan agreed there would “inevitably” be a delay of a minimum of 18 months in prosecuting the case as a result of “ongoing” nature of the widespread investigation.
“I accept the crown case is not yet strong and had a gap in it in the form of an absence of anything that would persuasively show the applicant knew what she was transporting,” she mentioned.
Justice Lonergan granted Ms Griffith’s bail with quite a few strict bail circumstances together with digital monitoring, abstinence from medication and alcohol, and a strict curfew.
She can also be forbidden from possessing an web succesful system and will need to have just one telephone in her possession at any time.
The former Bachelor contestant wore a inexperienced jail T-shirt and shorts and an anxious expression all through the hour-long bail listening to.
Her furrowed forehead didn’t abate when she was instructed she could be launched into the custody of her dad and mom.
The blonde magnificence was paired with Thomas Malucelli, a 35-year-old restaurant supervisor, on the tenth season of the hit actuality TV sequence, The Bachelor. She left the present after 12 weeks.
Her buddy, Molly Rosewarn, was additionally arrested in the course of the raid on Ms Griffiths’ home.
She was charged with possessing a prohibited drug and supplying greater than an indictable amount of a prohibited drug.
Their shut relationship has been splashed on social media, with Ms Griffiths sharing quite a few images and movies of her cuddling Ms Rosewarn, whom she known as “my baby girl”.
The finest associates and former housemates might be prohibited from contacting one another underneath the circumstances of Ms Griffiths’ bail.
Originally printed as Reality TV star Marjorie Griffiths allegedly equipped medication and laundered cash
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
