Ex-Bachelorette candidate Samuel Minkin pleads guilty to drug charges

A former Bachelorette contestant has pleaded guilty to drug-related offenses after he was caught in Australia’s federal police operation Ironside.

Samuel Colin Minkin appeared via video link on Friday to be arraigned in Downing Center District Court.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of a prohibited drug and involvement in the supply of a prohibited drug, namely cannabis, in excess of a commercial quantity.

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The charges carry maximum sentences of two years and 15 years in prison, respectively.

Minkin was tried after previously pleading not guilty.

He was arrested after police stopped a van south of Byron Bay in May 2021.

He was among hundreds of people arrested in Operation Ironside – AFP’s arm of a global undercover investigation that included collaboration with the US FBI and Europol.

Operation Ironside targeted the encrypted app AN0M used by organized crime groups around the world.

But unbeknownst to them, AN0M was secretly operated by the FBI, allowing law enforcement to monitor communications between groups.

The encrypted communications involved assassination plots, mass drug trafficking and arms distribution and led to the seizure of more than 3.7 tonnes of drugs, $45 million in cash and assets and more than 100 weapons in Australia.

Minkin remains on bail.

He will be sentenced later this year.

Minkin appeared on Bachelorette Australia Season 6 and was among the first to be booted from the show.

– with AAP