A man accused of trafficking half a billion dollars worth of MDMA from Queensland to NSW has been granted bail in a Brisbane court.

July 28, 2020

A man accused of driving 1.2 tonnes of MDMA, more than Australia’s total annual consumption of the drug, from Queensland to NSW has been granted bail.

Benjamin David Englefield, 43, is facing five charges of trafficking, supplying and possessing a dangerous drug, whilst allegedly being deeply entrenched in a drug syndicate.

The charges relate to the police seizure of 1176kg of MDMA in July and August last year, the Brisbane Supreme Court was told on Tuesday

Prosecutor Nicholas Dagan said it could be worth half a billion dollars and provide 12 million doses of the drug, which was more than the annual consumption of MDMA in Australia.

Mr Dagan said detectives also found two vehicles – a truck and Toyota Prado – with false compartments, cash, and a money counting machine.

Police allege Englefield, who handed himself into police in September after 35 days on the run, drove boxes of MDMA from Queensland to NSW.

“The false wall in the truck was a sophisticated system,” Mr Dagan said.

“The removalist company that the truck was registered to … appears to be incorporated by a fictitious person.”

“Further evidence of the sophistication of his involvement in a business rather than just as a courier on two occasions.”

Mr Dagan said Englefield was a flight risk and should be remanded in custody.

Justice Helen Bowskill disagreed.

She granted Englefield bail with strict conditions, including reporting to police every day, a curfew and wearing an electronic tracking device.

He was previously granted bail on two of his five charges, that stem from the August seizure.

Six other people have also been charged over their alleged roles in distributing the drugs.