D Walden 
A Melbourne dad who branded ecstasy pills with the iconic “Flying Kangaroo” logo to sell on the dark web was nabbed in an undercover operation, a court has heard.
Paul Rodgerson pleaded guilty to drug offences including trafficking a marketable quantity of MDMA and was jailed for six years and five months in the County Court on Thursday.
“It’s clear as day you’re the brains of the operation,” Judge Michael Tinney said to Rodgerson.
The 42-year-old was selling pills stamped with the Qantas “flying kangaroo” logo and used that name to run the syndicate between May and November 2016.
Rodgerson was nabbed after federal agents spotted his drug ads on a dark web site and an undercover cop using the name “Red Bandit” got in touch.
“The time has come for Flying Kangaroo to resurface and bring back the quality and value that our previous buyers are used too,” the advertisement read.
“We apologise for laying low for so long but we are now back and ready to service your needs.”
The undercover operative also bought ecstasy on other dark web sites, the court heard.
Rodgerson have imported pure MDMA from Germany to random post office boxes around Australia.
The drugs were sold on dark net websites Wickr, Dream Market and dark web site AlphaBay using Bitcoins.
Rodgerson also tried to buy pill presses and was linked to blue food dye purchases which were used to colour the tablets.
According to FBI record there were confirmed sales of 330 tablets sold through one site.
A factory linked to Rodgerson’s brother was raided and police seized tablets and drug making equipment, the court heard.
The Aspendale dad pleaded guilty to possess substance to manufacture drug, possessing MDMA and failure to comply with order to assist police.
He was sentenced to three years and eight months non parole.
