Warrnambool woman caught with 171 grams of MDMA in Mortlake

Dana Smith, 28, was on Tuesday placed on a 21-month community correction order with 200 hours of unpaid work.

Magistrate John Lesser said Smith's role in the offending was clearly not as significant as her co-offender, who was jailed for more than three years.

Smith served four days in custody on remand - an experience the magistrate said proved to be a "significant deterrent factor".

Mr Lesser said Smith had not re-offended on bail and he commended her for the "enormous steps" she had taken to redirect her life in a positive way.

"I hope you can continue to do that and don't fall back into any habits," he said.

Earlier, May 23: A Warrnambool woman who aided in a criminal enterprise selling MDMA will be assessed for a correction order.

Dana Smith, 28, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday to trafficking MDMA.

She was initially charged with trafficking in a commercial quantity but that was downgraded and magistrate John Lesser approved a summary jurisdiction application for the matter to be heard in the lower court.

The court heard police intercepted Smith's white car in Mortlake's Shaw Street on September 4, 2020 about 3.30pm.

Smith was driving the vehicle, her nine-year-old daughter was in the back and Premier Sciascia, 28, was in the front passenger seat.

The court heard a search of the vehicle uncovered 171 grams of MDMA in rock form under the front passenger seat.

Police believe the drugs would have made about 1700 ecstasy pills with a potential street value of $50,000.

The pair's mobile phones were seized and they were taken back to the Warrnambool police station where they were interviewed and remanded in custody.

Sciascia told police the MDMA belonged to him.

A search warrant executed at Sciascia's house uncovered three sets of MDMA purity test kits, 2000 empty capsules, a set of digital scales, four zip-lock bags with remnants of MDMA powder and a white pill press.

A second search warrant executed at Smith's house uncovered a third mobile phone.

Smith told police she felt compelled to drive Sciascia to Geelong to collect the MDMA but firmly denied any knowledge of the quantity of drugs.

An analysis of the mobile phones uncovered text messages between the pair which outlined plans to buy and use drugs.

The court heard one message read: "Drugs always sound like fun".

Prosecutor Cheryl Richardson said that on one occasion Smith agreed to provide $1500 for the purchase of ecstasy.

She said a photo saved to Smith's phone, and received from Sciascia, showed the 171 grams of MDMA with the caption: "That's what $8500 looks like".

Sciascia was last year jailed for three years and six months after pleading guilty to dealing MDMA in a commercial quantity. He must serve a non-parole period of two years.

On Friday Lucina Thies, representing Smith, said her client assisted and encouraged the co-accused in trafficking.

But magistrate John Lesser said he had difficulty accepting the offending wasn't a joint enterprise.

Ms Thies said the extent of Smith's involvement was providing the $1500 and driving Sciascia to Geelong.

She said the offending occurred in the context of Smith being unemployed due to the COVID-19 situation.

The court heard Smith spent three nights in the police station cells prior to being released on bail.

She will be assessed for a correction order and is expected to be sentenced on May 31.

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