A former brothel owner caught supplying drugs to friends and clients while in a "downward spiral" of addiction has been spared jail.
Manjot Singh Meghla, 41, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to 19 charges of supplying a dangerous drug and four charges relating to drug possession.
Prosecutors withdrew other charges including unlawful possession of a weapon and receiving property obtained through drug supply.
The crown prosecutor said the Prostitution Licensing Authority received multiple complaints about drug use at the Gold Coast brothel Meghla owned at the time called Utopia In Paradise.
Police launched an operation in response that used surveillance and phone taps to capture Meghla supplying cocaine in amounts varying from one to four grams between June 10 and September 6 in 2021.
"There was some supply at the brothel, (Meghla) told customers to stand out of the view of CCTV and there were conversations about the quality of the cocaine," the prosecutor said.
Police pulled over Meghla's vehicle on August 26, 2021 after a phone intercept indicated he was going to supply drugs to his mistress, and officers found powdered and liquid cocaine and one MDMA pill.
Police searched Meghla's house on September 6 and he was arrested after throwing a bag containing 1.04 grams of cocaine from his balcony onto another property.
He told an undercover officer at the watchhouse he had sold cocaine "here and there".
Defence barrister Matthew Hynes told the court Meghla had become addicted to cocaine in 2020 in response to financial stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and violent attempts to extort money from his brothel.
"He was taking a bag a day (one gram), a not insignificant amount," Mr Hynes said.
Mr Hynes said Meghla had worked hard to support his family in a variety of jobs including in IT, bus driving and as a probationary police officer in NSW before quitting as he could not handle traumatic incidents.
"He is now entirely drug-free having worked hard on his addiction ... (jail) would frustrate that effort," Mr Hynes said.
He said Meghla had suffered extra punishment as the bank repossessed his family's investment of a $500,000 Lamborghini sports car after police initially charged him with using the vehicle to supply drugs.
Meghla had also been forced to sell the Utopia In Paradise brothel at a "fire sale price".
Justice Susan Brown said Meghla was old enough to know better and had caused danger to society.
"Cocaine is seen as the ultimate party drug but it is in fact very dangerous," Justice Brown said.
She said Meghla's offending would usually result in jail time but he had worked hard since hitting the low point in a "downward spiral" of addiction.
"Your arrest was a hell of a wake-up call" Justice Brown said.
Meghla was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment but the term was wholly suspended and he was ordered released on probation.
