Gran accused of selling drugs from home ‘to pay off $58k Centrelink debts’

A grandmother is facing court over accusations she sold cannabis from her public housing apartment before hiding the proceeds in her five-year-old grandson’s bank account.

According to the Daily Telegraph, police allege that 58-year-old Vicki Delaney was dealt more than 10kg of cannabis between January and her arrest last week.

It’s claimed the grandmother could have had up to 100 customers on her books.

Police raided her Redfern home recently, and according to the news outlet, they allegedly found a bank deposit slip which could be used as evidence that Delaney deposited $25,819 from the drug sales into her grandson’s account.

Meanwhile, during a police interview, it’s claimed Delaney told authorities she was attempting to pay off $58,000 of Centrelink debts, as well as claiming she was supporting several grandkids.

Her husband was also reportedly arrested as an alleged co-conspirator.

Read more: Greens announce plan to decriminalise cannabis use

Appearing in court on Thursday, Delaney was granted bail by Magistrate Robert Williams over eight charges, and will face Central Local Court on August 30.

It comes after Greens leader Richard Di Natale announced earlier this year he wanted to legalise cannabis, declaring “the war on drugs has failed”. 

Speaking on The Project at the time, Senator Di Natale said the country’s approach to drugs has been an “unmitigated disaster”.

“We need to get real about cannabis,” he said. “The war on drugs has failed. Governments around the world are ­realising that prohibition of cannabis causes more harm than it prevents. It’s time Australia joined them and legalised cannabis for adult use.”

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