8 hours ago
A Gold Coast ex-bikie charged with trafficking illegal cannabis oil has been granted bail after his lawyer told a court his client did not know the product he was the “face of” allegedly contained a dangerous drug.
Key points:
- Brent Simpson and Eden Gall have been charged with trafficking over an alleged illegal cannabis oil syndicate
- They pair, who run the company Releaf Therapies, have been granted bail, but cannot contact each other
- Police found $373,000 in cash, cocaine, a drug press, 60 vials of cannabis oil, an air rifle and an encrypted mobile phone during raids before their arrests
Creator of The Clink podcast, Brent Simpson, 45, was arrested last Thursday after police conducted a number of raids across the city targeting what they said was an organised crime syndicate with outlaw motorcycle gang links.
Bailed with conditions
Mr Simpson, of Palm Beach, was charged with one count of trafficking dangerous drugs, two counts of supply dangerous drugs, and three counts of possession of dangerous drugs.
He was granted bail on Monday on the condition he reported to police and did not travel outside 5km from his Gold Coast home.
The 5km condition was described outside court by Mr Simpson’s defence lawyer, Michael McMillan, as akin to “jail at home”.
Police allege the drug trafficking relates to alleged illegal cannabidiol (CBD) oil product being sold through the company Releaf Therapies.
But Mr McMillan told the court there was no evidence his client knew the product, which was being imported from the US, contained an illegal substance.
He told Magistrate Ron Kilner Mr Simpson had “no money” and was simply the “face of” Releaf Therapies because of his podcasting profile.
Mr McMillan said Mr Simpson’s business partner, Eden Gall, 45, who was also charged with trafficking and granted bail on Friday, was the “money man”.
‘No knowledge of illegal contents’
Mr McMillan said social media profiles showing his client openly peddling the product indicated Mr Simpson was not trying to do anything illegal.
“Really, this is a man who is not unknown to the criminal justice system, it almost beggars belief he would be openly promoting something that could be considered a dangerous drug,” he said.
The court heard Releaf Therapies had also posted a video to their social media page where Mr Simpson admitted CBD products were “illegal”.
Mr McMillan said it was not clear when the video was recorded.
Detectives found around $373,000 in cash, quantities of cocaine, a drug press, 60 vials of cannabis oil, an air rifle and an encrypted mobile phone after executing seven search warrants prior to Mr Simpson and Mr Gall’s arrests last week.
While police objected to the bail on the basis Mr Simpson could re-offend or abscond Queensland through his job as an interstate truck driver, the 45-year-old was released on bail to return to court on August 24.
