FANTASY ORDERED OVER THE INTERNET 'BY MISTAKE'

A Canberra Magistrate has found that a 26-year-old man who imported the
designer drug 'Fantasy' into Australia via the Internet did not know he was
committing a crime.

However, Magistrate Karen Fryar says ignorance is no excuse for breaking
the law.

Information technology contractor Kevin Russell ordered the drug GBH from
the United States over the Internet from his computer terminal in the
Commonwealth Dept of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

He told the court he had not realised the drug was also known as Fantasy
and was illegal in Australia.

He says he thought GBH was a health food, an aphrodisiac which countered
depression and improved muscle development.

Today Magistrate Karen Fryar found the offence against Mr Russell proved
but entered no conviction, ordering him instead to be of good behaviour for
a year.

Magistrate Fryar issued a warning to the community, saying people who
imported substances over the Internet must take care to comply with the law.

© 1998 Australian Broadcasting Corporation