MAFS groom Timothy Smith reveals drug smuggling past and prison time in the US

MAFS groom Timothy Smith has revealed a shocking past which saw him spend a year in prison. Photo / A Current Affair

Warning: mention of suicide and drugs

A Married at First Sight groom has made a shocking confession about his dark past - and hopes he can help others by sharing his story.

Timothy Smith, a MAFS participant from the latest season of the Australian television series, has revealed to A Current Affair that he spent time in jail after he was caught drug smuggling.

The TV star went on to say he hoped that shedding light on his history with crime would deter others from making the same mistakes he did, reports news.com.au.

Smith did not disclose his past criminal activity to the producers of Married at First Sight, where he was quickly dubbed the “Tin Man” due to his stoic personality. He was partnered with Lucinda Light for the experiment.

He was introduced to the smuggling world unexpectedly 17 years ago when he was identified as “a natural” while taking part in a helicopter flying lesson.

The hands-on experience was paid for by someone else while he was based in Canada.

Lucinda Light and Timothy Smith in this year's MAFS season. Photo / Warner Bros Discovery

Soon after, he began transporting marijuana from Canada to the United States via helicopter, embarking on more than 20 drug-smuggling flights to and from small, unmanaged airports.

He revealed that each mission earned him roughly AU$100,000 (NZ$109,000) and would see him do swift exchanges loading marijuana onto his helicopter and flying it into America.

“I’d meet a 4WD and land behind it and within a minute the helicopter would be loaded with marijuana and I’d fly south into the US,” he shared.

“It was $100,000 a trip for a couple of hours of work.”

His smuggling days came to a halt when Smith was apprehended by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Los Angeles.

Smith was arrested and spent one year in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

“I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry to everyone I hurt. But I don’t want anyone to do what I did,” Smith added.

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“That decision in 2006 keeps affecting me. Unfortunately or fortunately it shapes who I am today.

“Someone threw some money at me and said, ‘Go and take a lesson tomorrow’. I did and the instructor said I was a natural. That was the beginning of the end.”

What’s more, Smith’s jail time was plagued with personal tragedies, as he lost both his mum and brother while he was incarcerated.

Smith, overwhelmed by emotion, revealed that his brother Dave called him at the beginning of his sentence saying: “Don’t let anyone mess with you” and “I’ll be there when you get out”.

“But he wasn’t,” says Smith.

Halfway through his sentence, tragedy struck. Smith’s mum passed away of cancer and a few months later his brother died by suicide.

“My world changed. I was shipped off to a federal facility. No guards, four walls, 180 guys, good or bad,” Smith said.

“If I could go back and change it, I would. There’s no question I’d change it.

“I wasn’t there when my mother and brother died. I paid the price. I pay the price every day.”

Now seeking redemption, Smith hopes that sharing his past with community groups will help prevent at-risk youth from turning to a life of crime.

“I did something very stupid and I paid the price. I paid the ultimate price,” Smith said.