A Lake Illawarra mother-of-five accused of trying to hide a bag of meth "inside her bottom" during a strip search has been refused bail.
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Amanda Lee Dallen faced Wollongong Local Court with her cuffed hands clasped together on Wednesday.
Police allege the 39-year-old was seen leaving an alleged Albion Park drug house about 2pm on Tuesday and turned into another street to dodge patrolling officers.
But she failed to slip between the cracks. Officers saw Dallen, prompting them to pull her over.
Police will allege she appeared "extremely nervous" when officers noticed the corner of a small resealable bag in her hand.
It is alleged Dallen then stuck her hand up the leg of her shorts to hide the bag inside her underwear.
She was removed from her white Volkswagen Golf and escorted into the back of a caged police vehicle where she was subjected to a strip search.
After removing her clothes, Dallen allegedly reached behind her legs and attempted to hide the bag "inside her bottom", according to tendered court documents.
An officer took hold of her hand, but became trapped when Dallen allegedly sat firmly on the bench inside the vehicle.
Police will allege she then refused to lift herself from the seat, until she started thrashing her body around in an attempt to destroy the evidence.
During the flurry it is alleged the bag ripped open, causing a large amount of "white crystal substance" to scatter from under her cheeks and onto the floor of the vehicle.
The crystal substance seized is expected to be 54.62 grams of meth, with an estimated street value of $15,000, according to court documents, with a "fair amount" of the drug destroyed in the process of the search.
Police claim they also uncovered 100 small resealable bags in Dallen's car.
Dallen was subsequently charged with supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and resisting police in an execution of duty. She is yet to enter formal pleas.
In court, defence lawyer Matt Ward argued for Dallen's release and proposed a set of strict bail conditions she could abide by.
While Magistrate Chris McRobert was sympathetic to Dallen's "traumatic" background, he was unconvinced she would comply with any conditions.
"There is a very strong prosecution case ... and a high probability of full-time imprisonment," Magistrate McRobert said.
"She is not assisted by her extensive criminal history ... I have no confidence she would obey bail conditions."
Dallen waved to supporters in the court room as her application for release was refused.
The matter will return to court at a later date.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
