A Victorian man has been given a fine for attempting to buy cannabis from the dark web in a bid to avoid paying “local prices” and associating with criminals.
The 39-year-old local appeared in Mildura Magistrates Court on the 18th of May. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to possess cannabis.
According to the Herald Sun, the Mildura man ordered three packages of cannabis from the dark web (a hidden part of the internet people usually access using a specialised network like Tor).
The first package contained a bag of coffee beans with 22 grams of cannabis hidden inside. The man then ordered two follow up packages – containing 28 grams and 14 grams of cannabis. Together, the three packages of cannabis are worth roughly $1,280.
The man was arrested after police intercepted all three packages through Australia Post, starting from the 14th of July last year. According to police, he originally claimed that the packages belonged to his roommate before explaining that he “didn’t want to pay local prices” for cannabis.
His lawyer would later add that the Mildura man also didn’t want to associate with criminals in person.
According to his lawyer, the 39-year-old has used cannabis in the past to help with his Bipolar Disorder. He was diagnosed at the age of 14 and told the court he had a disrupted childhood. He would later work in the mines and as a training officer for the use of explosives before suffering from a stroke in 2011.
The 39-year-old has also recently been homeless. He ordered the cannabis packages to his former address.
Magistrate Michael Coghlan gave the Mildura man a fine of $1,500 for attempting to buy cannabis on the dark web. Unless the dark web seller ripped him off, this fine is $200 more than the cannabis is worth.
