COURT: George Peauafi Palelei. Source: The Courier-Mail A YEAR 12 graduate trafficked drugs to high school leavers during last year's Gold Coast Schoolies festivities to raise money to avoid being evicted from his family home, a court has been told. The Brisbane District Court was told US-born teenager George Peauafi Palelai committed a string of criminal offences between November 9 and 27 last year in the hope of raising money to help out his cash-strapped dad. The court was Palelai, as part of his criminal fundraising enterprise, trafficked marijuana to Schoolies revellers at Surfers Paradise over an eight day period. Palelai, 19, was today handed a two year wholly suspended jail term after pleading guilty to a charge of drug trafficking. He was also sentenced to 18 months probation and 80 hours community service for a string of other offences including two burglaries. Prosecutor Jennifer O'Brien said Palelai, of Moorooka, was found in possession of 150 grams of marijuana, $88 in cash and a sales "tick sheet'' when arrested. She said the drugs had been found in 112 ready-for-sale plastic clip-sealed bags. The court was told Palelai admitted he had been given the drugs, by an unnamed third party, and … Continue reading →

Six men have been charged after police seized drugs and $1 million in cash at Sydney Airport. New South Wales Police Force detectives tipped off the Australian Federal Police and the Custom and Border Protection Service that a group of men was heading to the airport yesterday to fly to Bangladesh. Four men were stopped and searched by officials at the airport yesterday morning, allegedly uncovering a quantity of steroids and just under $1 million in cash. The men, aged between 25 and 56, have all been charged with Commonwealth proceeds of crime offences and possession of a restricted substance. They were held in custody overnight, but three of the men were granted bail when they faced court today. State Drug Squad detectives subsequently raided two units in the city's inner west at Ashfield, where they allegedly seized more steroids, another $70,000 in cash and a quantity of the drug ice. Two men arrested at the units, aged 33 and 37, have been charged with supplying a prohibited drug and having goods in custody. They have been released on bail to face court later this month. Police say their investigation is continuing. See the original post: Drugs and $1m cash … Continue reading →

1 August 2012 Last updated at 11:50 ET A drug addict facing cannabis and amphetamine charges is more likely to gain access to new supplies in jail than outside, the High Court has heard. Sean Kelly's barrister played down the chances of him overcoming his habit while on remand at Maghaberry Prison. The 25-year-old, of The Old Fort, Londonderry, faces charges of possessing Class B drugs and two counts of possession with intent to supply. He was arrested after police searched his home on 25 July. Officers found four grams of herbal cannabis and 180 grams of suspected amphetamines with an estimated street value of between 1,800 and 5,400, according to the prosecution. The range in potential valuation was due to some batches of speed currently being laced with cocaine, a judge was told. Digital scales, packaging and cash were also seized during the swoop. Kelly, who was said to be clearly under the influence of drugs when police entered, denied any involvement in selling or supplying drugs. Opposing his bail application, Kate McKay, prosecuting, told the court he claimed to be a drug addict who took between 18-24 grams of speed daily. Read more here: Drugs 'easier to get … Continue reading →

Published: Aug. 2, 2012 at 2:00 AM CHICAGO, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Combining two drugs normally given as single agents significantly extended the lives of women with metastatic breast cancer, U.S. researchers say. Dr. Kathy Albain, a breast cancer specialist at Loyola University Medical Center near Chicago, and colleagues found women who initially took the drugs anastrozole and fulvestrant together at the same time lived more than six months longer than women who took anastrozole alone, with fulvestrant given later when the disease progressed. "This study is the first to show that combination hormonal therapy alone without chemotherapy improves survival in advanced breast cancer," Albain said in a statement. "This most likely will change the standard of care for how we treat these patients." First author Dr. Rita Mehta of the University of California at Irvine, said anastrozole, or Arimidex, is a pill that is taken daily -- a class of medications called aromatase inhibitors. It works by decreasing the amount of estrogen the body makes -- estrogen fuels breast cancer. Fulvestrant, or Faslodex, is given by injection and binds to estrogen receptors, blocking the effect estrogen has on cancer cells, Mehta said. The study involved 707 post-menopausal women who … Continue reading →