Jonathan Black, who was arrested by Victoria Police at a Trentham campsite over the weekend, fronted the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon where he made an application for bail.

Police opposed bail, urging the magistrate to have Blake remanded into custody and extradited to face the Brisbane Magistrates’ Court as soon as possible over the drug trafficking charges.

Detective Sergeant Brenton Cope of the Queensland Police State Drug Squad told the court Blake was charged with trafficking dangerous drugs and faced life behind bars.

He told the court Blake came to police attention during a covert operation targeting drug suppliers in South West Queensland in 2015.

It is alleged Blake supplied a covert police officer with 3.5g of 70 per cent pure ice valued at $1500 on one occasion and 12g worth $12,000 two days later. Following the operation Detective Sergeant Cope said he contacted the accused to inform him he was wanted on drug charges, but could not locate him. He told the court he had concerns the alleged mid-level trafficker would not return to Queensland to face court.

Representing himself, Blake said he had made a fresh start in Myrtleford two years ago and had not been involved in any criminal activity in Victoria.

If granted bail he said he would “grab his things and head straight to Queensland” to face the allegations.

Magistrate Annabel Hawkins refused bail and made an order to have the man extradited back to Queensland to face court as early as Tuesday.