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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Blake Foden

Bumbag bikie associate jailed for drug trafficking, money laundering

Drugs found when police searched the homes of Taran Cummins and John Wright in July 2021. Picture ACT Policing

A former bikie associate will spend several more months behind bars after police found a large amount of cocaine at his home, where he also had illicit cash stashed in a bumbag.

Taran Lee Cummins, 33, was in cahoots with senior Canberra Rebels bikie John Wright in 2021, when the pair spent six months discussing the receipt and distribution of drugs.

Police busted the pair on July 23, 2021, executing search warrants at their respective homes.

In an ACT Supreme Court sentencing remarks published on Thursday, Justice David Mossop said officers found 139 grams of cocaine at Cummins' place in Bonner.

This amount was "well above" the minimum trafficable quantity of six grams.

Cash seized when police searched the homes of Taran Cummins and John Wright in July 2021. Picture ACT Policing

Justice Mossop said police had also found scales, bags, a cutting agent and a pill press in Cummins' home, along with $6460 in a bumbag.

At Wright's home, in Braddon, police discovered nearly one gram of cocaine and $8750 in cash.

Cummins ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.

In sentencing last month, Justice Mossop said there was "evidence of active measures in place to sell the drugs".

"It is clear that [Cummins] was doing so for profit, even if he was also a long-term user of the drugs," he said.

The judge indicated the money laundering charge was "related to drug-dealing but not exactly the same trafficking as the other offence".

"The amount in question is significant," he said, without stating what it was.

Justice Mossop described how Cummins, a self-employed carpenter, had associated with the Rebels bikie gang but declined an invitation to join it.

"He acknowledged intentionally trafficking in cocaine for the purpose of selling it for financial benefit," the judge said.

"He expressed regret for his actions, particularly in relation to the impact upon his family."

John Wright, right, with solicitor Peter Woodhouse in February. Picture by Blake Foden

Cummins was already behind bars, serving other sentences, before learning his fate on these charges.

Justice Mossop ultimately sentenced him to two years and two months in jail, backdating the term to begin in March.

He imposed a non-parole period of nine months, making Cummins eligible for release in December.

Wright, who is also known as John Winchester, previously pleaded guilty to five charges, including two counts of drug trafficking, over offences committed between January 2021 and November 2021.

The 47-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

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