Zlatko Mileski, 34, appeared in Queanbeyan Local Court charged with a number of offences relating to the possession and supply of methamphetamine.

He pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

After some disagreement between the police and Mileski’s defence lawyer Michael Bartlett over the exact weight of the drugs, it was agreed that Mileski trafficked 274.02 grams of methamphetamine between August 3 and September 14 last year.  

Mileski was first arrested on September 14 last year after being pulled over by police on Stephens Road. He was the first of 10 people to be arrested by Strike Force Lupo, a joint ACT-NSW police investigation into the supply of ice.

Undercover officers conducted a covert operation collecting evidence on the accused before initiating arrests.

Mr Bartlett attacked the police operation describing it at the time as “fatally flawed”. He said through their investigations “police imported the drugs into NSW” and said his client should not face charges in NSW as the drug deals occurred in the ACT.

On Tuesday Mr Bartlett said because of the arguments over jurisdiction and finalising of details such as the weight of the drugs, he intended to have it recorded that the guilty plea was entered at the first possible opportunity. This could earn Mileski a discount in sentencing.

Magistrate Michael Antrum said any decision in the local court would not be binding in superior courts and that it would be a matter for the sentence hearing.

Mileski will appear in Queanbeyan District Court on August 21 for sentencing.

A co-accused also arrested during Strike Force Lupo investigations, Queanbeyan’s Jamie Fulton, 34, failed to appear in court on Tuesday and a warrant for her arrest was issued.

Fulton, previously described as a “drug kingpin”, had been on bail since November last year with strict reporting conditions and an overnight curfew.