ACT Magistrates Court remands Alipate Taufaao in custody on drug trafficking charge

Alipate Patelesio Penou Ki Hihifo Taufaao, 25, was refused bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Saturday.

The Sydney man did not enter a plea to a charge of trafficking in methamphetamine.

Court documents show police began investigating Taufaao and his alleged involvement in drug running between Sydney and Canberra after arresting Jason Pakalani Tuiono, 33, in March.

Tuiono has been remanded in custody since then, having allegedly left a loaded, 3D-printed gun in his BMW when he dropped the car off for a service in Belconnen.

When Tuiono came back for his car, he was carrying a satchel that allegedly contained methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $200,000, more than $2500 in cash, and ammunition.

Investigators seized Tuiono's phone and allegedly found "a significant number of text messages that relate to drug trafficking between Sydney ... and the ACT".

Police claim the messages were exchanged between Tuiono and a person known as "pate", who is alleged to be Taufaao.

MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS:

As a result of their ongoing investigation, police obtained a search warrant for Taufaao on Thursday.

Officers executed the warrant on Friday morning, when they stopped a black Range Rover in Dickson.

In the driver's door compartment, police claim to have found about 9 grams of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine.

While Taufaao was in the front passenger seat when officers stopped the car, he had allegedly been driving it earlier on.

On Saturday, the court heard Taufaao may also be charged in relation to GHB allegedly found in a bag that belonged to him.

Taufaao applied for bail, with duty lawyer Stephanie Corish telling the court the 25-year-old had been in Canberra to visit his partner.

Ms Corish said Taufaao, a roofer, planned to live in Sydney if granted bail.

She proposed conditions that would remove his ability to contact the other people who had been in the car when he was arrested.

Prosecutor Corey O'Connor opposed bail, saying Taufaao was not currently working and was likely to traffic drugs in order to make money.

Mr O'Connor also argued Taufaao was likely to not appear in court when required, noting his limited ties to the ACT and the fact there were warrants out for his arrest in NSW.

Further, the prosecutor claimed Taufaao had an "obvious incentive" to interfere with evidence by contacting other people suspected of involvement in the alleged drug running network.

Magistrate James Stewart agreed there was "a significant likelihood" Taufaao would fail to appear in future.

Mr Stewart also believed the risk of Taufaao intimidating the other people in the car at the time of his arrest was "too great" to justify his release.

He accordingly remanded Taufaao in custody ahead of his next court appearance on April 24.

Tuiono, an alleged bikie associate who faces five charges, including drug trafficking, is due to appear again on Thursday.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: