Qld 'trafficker' families offer sureties

The families of two Queensland men arrested over an alleged multimillion dollar ice ring have stumped up tens of thousands of dollars to secure bail.

Two men allegedly involved in a multimillion dollar ice trafficking ring have secured conditional bail thanks to generous sureties from their families.

Brad Matthew Watt, 40, and Luke Perrett, 36, made bail applications in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday after their arrest last month.

Police allege the two, along with Adam Charles Johns, trafficked around $3 million of methylamphetamine between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane over a period of one year.

They have each been charged under Queensland's anti-bikie legislation, not because of ties to motorcycle gangs but because the trio functioned as a business.

They face minimum sentences of 15 years behind bars.

Watt's partner, who was in court, stumped up a $50,000 surety to secure his release.

"Adequate conditions of bail will, as much as possible, reduce the risk of you failing to appear," Magistrate Michael Quinn said in accepting the offer.

In a separate hearing, defence barrister Alastair McDougall told the court the case against Perrett involved intercepted phone calls in which Perrett and Johns had used what police believe was coded language to discuss their transactions.

"My client's instructions are that's simply not the case at all," Mr McDougall said.

Perrett's grandparents offered the equity from their $325,000 property as a surety for his release on bail.

Magistrate Quinn said his family was loving and generous.

"If you were to abscond on bail and not front court, then your elderly grandparents will lose their property," he warned.

He granted conditional bail with a $60,000 surety.

Perrett must adhere to a curfew between 9pm and 5am every day, reside in Gatton, report three times weekly to police and surrender his passport.

Watt must also surrender his passport and both must not contact one another.

Johns will appear in court on Thursday.


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Source: AAP


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