A Chelmsford teenager has admitted to producing drugs that some have closely associated with the Hollywood blockbuster The Wolf of Wall Street.
Taidhg Campbell-Mansfield's actions were compared by a Chelmsford Crown Court judge yesterday (June 9) with "misbehaving with a chemistry set" after illegal substances were found at a property in North Avenue, Melbourne on October 3 last year.
The 19-year-old, of Fortinbras Way, pleaded guilty to nine drugs charges, including producing 660g of class B drug Methaqualone, the sedative-hypnotic better known as Quaalude.
The drug has been popularised in the Martin Scorsese movie, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Campbell-Mansfield also admitted to five counts of possessing class B drugs including 125g of amphetamine, a quantity of cannabis resin, 176mg of JWH-018, 2mg of JWH-073 and 303mg of JWH-250.
He pleaded guilty to possession of 39mg of Acetylpsilocin and 162mg of DMT, both class A drugs and one tablet of Medazepam, a class C drug.
The court heard 90 bottles worth of substances were recovered from the semi-detached North Avenue house.
A number of handwritten and typed notes relating to "chemical synthesis" of various drugs, including amphetamine, were also discovered by officers when they raided the Melbourne property.
The Open Road drug rehabilitation centre at Mansard House in New London Road, was evacuated the previous day after chemicals were handed into the centre.
Support workers removed the chemicals, which produced a pungent smell and released vapours. It also caused five people to suffer from irritated skin, eyes, and headaches as well as difficult breathing.
The evacuation led police to proceed to the North Avenue address.
Speaking at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday (June 9) Judge Anthony Goldstaub QC said: "Seems like he's been misbehaving with a chemistry set."
Campbell-Mansfield was granted unconditional bail and will be sentenced in the weeks following Monday, June 30.
