An accused drug trafficker and his glamorous wife have only just resumed speaking, months after they were both arrested in a major drug raid in January.
Darren Tennent has indicated he is willing to plead guilty to trafficking ecstasy after he was allegedly busted with a plethora of drugs at his Melbourne home while his wife Natalie Cockburn was also present at the address.
Tennent, 42, and Ms Cockburn were arrested at their Mount Waverley unit on January 21 after Australian Border Force officers raided the property for an 'unrelated matter'.
Ms Cockburn was charged with 29 offences alongside her husband, but last month was cleared of any wrongdoing and had all charges dropped.
However, fallout from the bust meant she was barred from contacting her husband, and she relocated to Queensland while charges against her were still pending.
Tennent appeared before Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Thursday for a summary jurisdiction application after being charged with trafficking ecstasy.
He was remanded in custody after ABF officers allegedly found multiple bags of orange ecstasy tablets weighing a total of 414 grams.
Darren Tennent, 42, (right) and Natalie Cockburn were arrested at their Mount Waverley unit on January 21. All charges against Ms Cockburn were withdrawn
Mount Waverley man Tennent has been charged with trafficking ecstasy
The couple was barred from speaking to each other following their arrests
Tennent was also allegedly found with cocaine, 60 vials of steroids, various other substances and tablets, and a JB Hi-Fi bag stuffed with ziplock deal bags.
The ABF referred the matter to Victoria Police's Monash Crime Investigation Unit, which obtained a search warrant and seized the suspected illicit drugs and $10,120 believed to be the proceeds of crime.
Police also allegedly discovered a fake gold-coloured Rolex watch in a safe in the master bedroom, and more substances in a vehicle on the property.
In a twist, it can be revealed that his wife lived at a second home in Rosebud on the Mornington Peninsula, where detectives from Monash CIU allegedly seized $45,000 in nine bundles of $50 notes on February 20.
Tennent, who spent 42 days on remand, was questioned by police on February 21 and gave a 'no comment' interview about the $45,000.
Prosecutors allege the proceeds of crime came from Tennent's alleged drug trafficking, but the defence denies this.
Magistrate David Barrese queried whether there were 'aggravating features' to the alleged trafficking.
'There's obviously a number of deal bags located and there's drugs located, various drawers, there's different forms of... certainly ecstasy and MDMA and then numerous vials of drugs that he's in possession of,' Magistrate Barrese said.
Tennent was allegedly caught with 60 vials of steroids
'That ties in terms of the trafficking, doesn't it?'
The court heard police allegedly discovered messages on Tennent's phone from a few years ago about 'trafficking activity', but the defence submitted that these messages did not relate to the current alleged offending.
The defence is steadfastly contesting that the seized cash and fake Rolex are not the proceeds of crime and that it is up to the prosecution to prove these items came from dealing drugs.
The defence submitted that Tennent has spent the last 20 years 'living a law-abiding life, contributing to the community'.
Tennent, who is listed online as being a salesman, has been 'gainfully employed' while also employing others.
The court heard there had been 'considerable changes' to Tennent's 'circumstances' since January, including non-communication with Ms Cockburn.
The couple were represented by separate legal teams at the previous hearing and no longer appear to follow each other on social media.
Tennent has since locked down his Facebook profile after the allegations against him were revealed by the Daily Mail.
Ms Cockburn was placed on bail conditions which precluded her from talking to Tennent, the court was told
Ms Cockburn was placed on bail conditions that barred her from contacting Tennent, the court heard.
Ms Cockburn had relocated to Queensland after she was charged and had no communication with Tennent until she was cleared of any wrongdoing.
'They've only just started communicating again,' the defence submitted.
'There's been significant impact on their lives; in particular, given she was charged, there's no evidence of her criminal wrongdoing other than being married to him and living at the Rosebud house.
'She was charged with all the same offences.'
Magistrate Barrese raised concerns about the 'quantum' of the alleged ecstasy, with the amount less than 90 grams below the commercial quantity threshold.
'Those kinds of quantities are generally beyond this jurisdiction - and they are,' Magistrate Barrese said.
'Sentencing is quantum-based, is it not? That's the hurdle I see [to having the allegations finalised at the Magistrates' Court].'
Tennent still faces charges of trafficking a commercial quantity of heroin and ecstasy, but those charges are expected to be struck out at the next hearing.
Tennent had flaunted a jet-set lifestyle on social media, including multiple shirtless photos taken in Thailand.
Tennent, also charged with drug possession, had his bail extended to appear in court on 8 September.
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