Powder find was 'workout powder'

Perth detectives who thought they had seized a $2 million haul of "ice" had actually uncovered a stash of banned "work-out powder" in an unexpected twist revealed in court yesterday.

Organised crime squad officers made the bust at an East Perth apartment in May, alleging they had discovered 3.8kg of methylamphetamine during the raid as well as a bag of 7.8g of the same white powder in a jeans pocket belonging to Rissa Maree Hewitt - one of the residents who is also the partner of WA criminal Brett Maston.

But yesterday, her charge of possession with intent to sell or supply was downgraded to a possession charge and the court was told the suspected "ice" haul turned out to be a prohibited energy powder.

Defence lawyer Jeremy Noble told Perth Magistrate's Court the substance found on his client as well as 3.8kg found in a Jeep allegedly linked to housemate Martin Seroka was dimethylamylamine - also known as dimeth or work-out powder. The powder, which the court was told was sometimes used as a "pseudo-amphetamine", was banned under poisons legislation last year amid health concerns.

Yesterday, the court was told Ms Hewitt, 42, had been living at the apartment with Mr Seroka, a friend, when Maston went back to jail after he was deported from the Philippines last year and extradited to WA on stolen property charges.

Ms Hewitt had been living with Maston, a bank robber, in South-East Asia but returned to WA with him and their now two-year-old son.

Mr Noble told the court his client had found the clip-seal bag of powder on the apartment floor and put it in her pocket only hours before the raid. Ms Hewitt had not known exactly what it was, Mr Noble said.

Magistrate Steven Heath noted she had no relevant criminal record and her early guilty plea before fining her $300 and ordering her to pay $68 costs.

Mr Seroka is due to appear in court in December.