POLICE believe a Bendigo teenager was earning $10,000 a week selling drugs in Victoria. Yesterday the Bendigo Magistrates Court was told Benjamin House, 18, of Edwards Road, Flora Hill trafficked at least 4000 ecstasy tablets over a six-month period and is also accused of selling amphetamines, ketamine and cannabis.
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Bendigo Regional Response Unit officer Senior Constable Troy Hargadon told the court a recent statement obtained by police suggested House was earning $10,000 a week trafficking drugs.
House wept in the dock as his mother told the court of her willingness to take her son home.
Under cross-examination by police prosecutor Senior Constable David Somerton, Pam House said she had been worried about her son's health, but had been unaware of the full extent of his drug activity. Mrs House said on some occasions Benjamin had warned her not to go into his room or to throw any paperwork out.
She said she had "questioned him extensively" to which House had replied "he had done nothing wrong".
Mrs House also told the court Benjamin was at times moody - "yelling and screaming for no reason."
Police allege on one occasion House, who is believed to have headed one of the city's biggest drug syndicates, travelled to Melbourne with $20,000 to buy drugs. House, who was arrested following a series of drug raids throughout central Victoria last weekend, was yesterday refused bail despite proposed drug counselling and support programs and his parent's offer of a $50,000 surety. He was among 26 people charged as a result of the six-month police investigation termed `Operation Famed' which targeted the distribution of ecstasy, amphetamines and other drugs in the Bendigo region.
House faces 17 charges - 14 of which relate to the sale of drugs and include trafficking a large commercial quantity of ecstasy. The court was told House travelled to Melbourne up to twice a week to purchase drugs which he then sold primarily to other drug traffickers in Bendigo. Police claim a number of tick sheets, with names and cash amounts were also located in Houses' bedroom when police executed a search warrant on his home address. Thousands of phone calls were traced as part of the police investigations into the alleged drug trafficking activity. Sen-Constable Hargadon said House also co-ordinated the delivery of a $55,000 stolen car, arranging for it to be stripped and rebuilt. The court was told the car was extensively damaged after it was crashed into a paddock by House's associates who then contacted him to collect them.
Defence lawyer Peter Haag submitted that court delays and time taken to compile police evidence could mean a long time in custody for House.
Mr Haag asked that bail be granted given House's age, strong family supports and the availability of drug counselling and rehabilitation.
But Magistrate Jane Patrick refused bail, with House remanded to reappear in the Bendigo Magistrates Court on August 25.
