Police uncover drug dealer during traffic stop after spotting incriminating texts and bags of cannabis on seat

An Albany man who was revealed to police as a drug dealer thanks to his unlocked phone displaying incriminating texts and visible bags of cannabis on his passenger seat during a traffic stop, has been fined. Dennis Leonardus Vermeulen, 43, was driving his Mitsubishi Triton on Albany Highway in Centennial Park on August 28 when he was stopped by police about 8.30pm, prosecutor Sgt Gary Simpson told Albany Magistrates Court on November 6. On his passenger seat, in view of police, were two plastic bags containing 16g of cannabis and his unlocked mobile phone, which was open to a text chain between Vermeulen and another person in which they discussed a drug transaction. Vermeulen produced another bag containing 2g of cannabis to give to the police, who also found $625 cash suspected of being profits from drug dealing, in a further search. An inspection of the phone revealed similar texts sent to a different person earlier that morning, offering to “do (them) a q” and the day before, on August 27, asking if they were “keen on green?”. Police then conducted a search of Vermeulen’s home in McKail, where after being put under arrest, he admitted that he had more drugs stashed in the house. In his bedside table, police found 15g of cannabis and three rounds of ammunition, for which he had no licence to possess. He was taken to Albany police station and admitted to the offending before being granted bail. On September 29, Vermeulen was arrested again at his home, where he admitted to having 31g of cannabis, two cone pieces and the stem of a bong containing traces of cannabis stashed in his bedside table drawer. A small amount of methylamphetamine was also found in the driver’s side door of another vehicle at the property. Vermeulen pleaded guilty to nine charges last week, including offering to sell or supply a prohibited drug, possession of unlawfully obtained property, cannabis, meth, drug paraphernalia and ammunition without a licence or permit. Duty lawyer Eva Svanberg said Vermeulen, who had been using cannabis daily for 25 years, dealt only small amounts to his friends and that he used the bullets as decoration after he found them in a car he bought second-hand. Sgt Gary Simpson said it “goes to his credit” that Vermeulen admitted to the offences straight away but alleged it was probably a larger and more longstanding business than claimed by Ms Svanberg, given the quantities of cannabis found. Noting his clean record, magistrate Erin O’Donnell said it was likely a “matter of luck” that Vermeulen had not be charged with possession before given his longstanding habit. “Distribution of any sort of illicit substance is a serious matter and though cannabis is considered by many to be a soft drug option, it is well known now that it carries risks and can trigger schizophrenia in susceptible people,” she said. Vermeulen was fined $1500 and handed three 10-month community-based orders with conditions and requirements.