High-society glam girl turned Melbourne meth queen is BACK in court over fresh drug dealing racket allegations
Melbourne meth queen Tess Rowlatt is back in hot water for suspected major drug trafficking after she was allegedly caught dealing in a swanky party precinct.
Rowlatt, 36, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of meth.
Rowlatt was arrested in Melbourne’s high-rise apartment district Southbank on August 16 this year.
It’s alleged Rowlatt was caught with meth, GHB-mirror drug 1,4 butanediol, $725 cash and modified proof of ID cards in a party hot spot home to Crown Casino as well as several other upmarket restaurants and bars.
Rowlatt, who appeared briefly via videolink on from Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, dumped her law firm at today’s hearing.
The court heard Rowlatt had intended to plead guilty to three charges but the convicted drug dealer changed her mind and will now seek another a new legal representative.
It’s also alleged Rowlatt intended to use the fake IDs to commit criminal offences and the cash in her possession was suspected of being the proceeds of crime.
Rowlatt, a glamorous society party girl, exploded into infamy after it was revealed she had been the focus of a targeted Victoria Police Major Drug Squad investigation in mid-2021.
Melbourne meth queen Tess Rowlatt is back in hot water for suspected major drug trafficking
The one-time high-flying marketing guru was accused of running a major drug racket out of 16 Melbourne Airbnbs between July and October 2021
The one-time high-flying marketing guru was accused of running a major drug racket out of 16 Melbourne Airbnbs between July and October 2021.
Rowlatt was sentenced to 419 days and a four-year community correction order in February last year after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.
Covert cops secretly tracked Rowlatt and another suspected drug dealer during an investigation that lasted several months and involved hours of physical and electronic surveillance.
She was eventually arrested at her Upper West Side Spencer St apartment on October 21, 2021.
Rowlatt initially faced more than 70 charges including trafficking a large commercial quantity of meth and heroin and trafficking bute – known to be a deadly rave drug.
The court had previously heard allegations Rowlatt shifted between 16 separate Airbnb properties, including the View Hotel St Kilda and Upper West Side in the city.
Police had alleged Rowlatt stayed at the properties for periods lasting between a night and a few days while she sold vast amounts of meth.
Rowlatt sold drugs at the short-stay properties which police say she secured with fake IDs.
Rowlatt was sentenced to 419 days and a four-year community correction order in February last year after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs
Rowlatt, who appeared briefly via videolink on from Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, dumped her law firm at today’s hearing
The court also heard a prior allegation Rowlatt made multiple drug deals including a single transaction suspected to be worth $34,000.
Police uncovered the alleged evidence after seizing an examining multiple of Rowlatt’s devices.
The glamorous party girl claimed, via social media, that she graduated from Monash Uni before holding sales roles within multiple marketing companies.
Rowlatt also sparked a police investigation after she surprisingly appeared to be living at a inner-city Melbourne apartment unlawfully leased to convicted sex offender and drug dealer Simon Simoudis.
Simoudis, who lived in Sydney before quietly moving to Melbourne, appeared on the radar of police after he used false references to secure an inner-city apartment in April last year.
He pleaded guilty to producing a false document he used to pose as a Mayne Pharma employee and secure the apartment in Melbourne’s inner-east.
It’s understood Simoudis was a major annoyance for other tenants shortly after he arrived.
The glamorous party girl claimed, via social media, that she graduated from Monash Uni before holding sales roles within multiple marketing companies
The court heard the arrangement was facilitated by Luxico, an upmarket Airbnb-type company which markets itself for ‘rock stars, families and anyone who loves being treated like a VIP’.
Luxico greenlit Simoudis after he presented ‘exemplary references’ and claimed to be in Melbourne for ‘work’.
It’s been reported Simoudis made life hell for tenants with all-night parties and people coming and going at all hours.
A witness also claimed ‘shady looking men’ kicked in Simoudis’ apartment door before leaving shortly after and it was reported theft and property damage occurred at the luxury residential complex.
Simon Simoudis pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court earlier this year to trafficking commercial quantities of meth and 1,4 butanediol
The building manager reported Simoudis to police after an eagle-eyed local spotted Rowlatt apparently living at the apartment.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard police also discovered documents with Rowlatt’s name at the apartment.
Simoudis pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court earlier this year to trafficking commercial quantities of meth and 1,4 butanediol.
Rowlatt was remanded in custody to next face court in January next year.
