A prominent Aboriginal man from Western Australia's north has appeared in court charged over the alleged sale of alcohol at inflated prices in dry communities in the Kimberley, according to reporting by the ABC.
Cyril Mark Yeeda, 44, appeared in Halls Creek Magistrates Court last week, where he pleaded not guilty to one count of dealing with money alleged to be the proceeds of crime.
Police allege Mr Yeeda profited from the illegal sale of alcohol to residents of Halls Creek and surrounding dry communities in the Kimberley between October 2024 and July 2025.
It is alleged he purchased more than 450 cartons of beer, 40 bottles of champagne and 115 bottles of rum in Darwin, with a total value of about $45,000.
Police claim Mr Yeeda then received more than $170,000 in return — including approximately $140,000 through electronic bank transfers and more than $30,000 in cash deposits.
The alleged practice is commonly referred to as "sly grogging" and is illegal in communities where strict alcohol restrictions apply in an effort to reduce alcohol-related harm.
Mr Yeeda is a former stockman who has previously appeared in tourism promotion for Australia's North West and was recognised with a WA Disability Support Award in 2019 for his work supporting a man with autism in the remote community of Bililuna.
He was granted bail and is due to return to court next month.
