A truck driver caught with a speed-tampering device in his vehicle at Marulan, near Goulburn, has been fined more than $26,000.
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The truck's speed-limiter was reset to allow the driver to travel at 130 kilometres per hour, above the 100km/h permitted in NSW.
Steven Charles Tong, 46, of Frankston North in Victoria, appeared in Goulburn Local Court on August 23.
He was convicted of tampering with a speed limiter in a heavy vehicle, driving with a speed measuring device, failure to comply with directions, using a heavy vehicle above the speed limiter standard, and driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present.
A statement from a Transport for NSW officer said on March 19 at 7.10pm, a Zig Zag Express vehicle driven by Tong was inspected at the Marulan Heavy Vehicle Safety Station.
In its cabin, officers found a black plastic tool box and a laptop bag with three hard drives, some USB flash drives, and wiring.
During the inspection, Transport for NSW officers said, Tong moved to the rear of the vehicle, grabbed another laptop, and put this into a carry bag.
When RMS officers confronted him about this laptop, Tong ran from the safety station, dumped the laptop in nearby bush land and hid.
Hume Police District officers were called. They searched the nearby bush land and found Tong, the laptop, the hard drives with the engine control software, and a quantity of methamphetamine (ice).
They arrested Tong. He tested positive to methamphetamine, so was also charged with driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present.
Transport for NSW director of compliance Roger Weeks said it was alleged the laptop on board "had software [that] allowed [Tong] to adjust the vehicle speed for three different engine types".
"He also had a number plate shield," Mr Weeks said.
Magistrate Geraldine Beattie fined Tong $26,400 and nine demerit points and disqualified him from driving for six months.
David Cole
Journalist at the Goulburn Post
Journalist at the Goulburn Post
