Accused drug trafficker applies for bail in Bendigo court

Nathan Smith, 33, made the application in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Friday.

He has been charged with offences including trafficking a drug of dependence, handling stolen goods, and contravening bail conditions.

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Police alleged between May and November last year, Mr Smith received about $45,000 in payments to his bank account from 30 known drug traffickers and users.

The court heard there were allegedly 164 separate deposits during that time period, with payments ranging from $1 and $500.

Police alleged between July and December, Mr Smith contacted drug traffickers on Facebook to purchase the drug GHB.

Police alleged Mr Smith transferred more than $6000 to purchase litres of the drug. A trafficable quantity of GHB is 50ml.

The court heard sometime between March 19 and March 29 this year, a $32,000 tractor was stolen from Marist College Bendigo in Maiden Gully.

Police located the tractor on April 5 during a search warrant of an Elphinstone property. Police alleged Mr Smith was the person who sold the stolen tractor.

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Officers executed a search warrant at Mr Smith's Maiden Gully property at 6.20am on Friday.

Police allegedly found two stolen registration plates, a small amount of the drug GHB, green vegetable matter believed to be cannabis, an improvised explosive device, syringes, ziplock bags, and digital scales.

Mr Smith was arrested and taken to the Bendigo Police Station where he made a no-comment interview.

Informant Senior Constable Joshua Daffy told the court Mr Smith should not be granted bail because he was an unacceptable risk of reoffending.

Mr Smith, who represented himself in court, told the magistrate he had a place to live and a job if he was released from custody.

Magistrate Rodney Higgins denied Mr Smith's bail application because he failed to give compelling reasons.

Mr Smith was remanded in custody and is due to return to court in May.

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