Cannabis Kingpin Feared Murdered

[Tom]

Cannabis kingpin feared murdered

By NIGEL HUNT

25may04

A MISSING Ethelton man was a major supplier of cannabis to dealers on the state's West Coast, it has been revealed.

 

Police investigations into the disappearance of Eric Lynch, 45, have discovered he is ranked in the "top handful" of suppliers of hydroponically grown cannabis.

 

Investigators believe Mr Lynch, missing since February 10, made regular drug runs to Port Lincoln.

 

Although locally grown cannabis is freely available in West Coast towns, there is a lucrative market for hydroponically grown cannabis because it is stronger.

 

Port Lincoln CIB Detective Senior Constable George Fenwick said yesterday investigations had discovered Mr Lynch was "one of several main suppliers" of the drug.

 

"He was not growing it, he was a broker of sorts," he said. "He shipped cannabis that was grown in Adelaide to the West Coast where it was then distributed and sold."

 

Police have intensified investigations into Mr Lynch's disappearance after finding the car he was thought to be driving in Adelaide.

 

The car, a white Holden Commodore Berlina with the registration UVE 381, was sold to another man on February 9, the day before Mr Lynch vanished.

 

"Now we have no idea what car he may have been driving when he left Port Lincoln," Sen-Const. Fenwick said. "We are anxious to hear from anyone in Port Lincoln or Adelaide who may be able to shed some light on this."

 

The last positive sighting of Mr Lynch was by an associate in Port Lincoln on February 10.

 

He gave Mr Lynch $500 and saw him get into a car, which he wrongly believed to be Mr Lynch's Berlina.

 

"Lynch intended to leave Port Lincoln and drive to Adelaide but there is no evidence he ever arrived in Adelaide," Sen-Const. Fenwick said.

 

Since that day Mr Lynch has not contacted any friends or associates, or used any bank accounts.

 

He also has not contacted his former de facto wife, and his daughter, Emily, 6, at Port Lincoln.

 

His former de facto wife, Rebecca Driver, 28, said Lynch would call Emily several times a week "without fail" and visit her every fortnight on his trips to Port Lincoln.

 

"If it wasn't every second day it would be the third day," she said.

 

"He loves Emily too much to just vanish and forget about her."

 

She said Mr Lynch's drug activities were the reason they separated.

 

"I told him it was too risky with the kids and everything," she said.

 

While police have no evidence Mr Lynch has been a victim of foul play, they believe his background may be linked to his disappearance.

 

Associates in the drug trade have been questioned. Mr Lynch has a long history of convictions for cannabis-related offences.

 

In 1992 and 1999, he was convicted on possession charges and in 2001 he was convicted of selling the drug.

 

On April 14, he was convicted in his absence of possessing cannabis for sale and fined $1103 in Port Lincoln Magistrates Court.

 

He was caught at North Shields, just north of Port Lincoln, on December 20 last year in possession of almost 1kg of hydroponic cannabis.

 

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[lsd]

Ive never even heard of the guy but it looks like he died for the 'cause'. Actually makes me wonder if people on the high end of things actually grow and sell with passion for the 'green stuff' or the other 'green stuff"$$$, most likely the former though. its a real pity he had a family back home.