Stephen Sideras pleads guilty to commercial drug trafficking after a search of his home and work

A previously convicted dealer didn’t learn his lesson the first time and started up a secret drug lab at his workplace – until police found kilos of marijuana and $13,000.

A father-of-five didn’t learn his lesson the first time after a search of his home and tyre shop business uncovered a commercial cannabis operation.

Stephen Paul Sideras, 30, was up to his old tricks three months after being given a chance by the court to avoid jail for similar offending.

Barossa Police and CIB detectives conducted co-ordinated searches at a residential address in Lewiston and a Smithfield business on November 25, 2021.

Police located and seized more than $13,000 cash and 2.8kg of marijuana ready for sale.

At the business premises, police also discovered a cannabis oil extraction laboratory within one of the offices.

Stephen Sideras pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking. Photo: SA Police

Stephen Sideras will be sentenced at a later date. Photo: Facebook

A prosecutor pushed for immediate jail in the District Court on Thursday, saying text messages revealed Sideras had been trafficking from at least August 2021 and selling in pound quantities up to $2800.
The court heard the business premises where the majority of the cannabis and cannabis oil was located had CCTV cameras.

“That CCTV footage captures from November of 2021 the defendant engaging in the sale of cannabis and cannabis filled vape pens from both within the office area and outside the garage,” the prosecutor said.

Sideras pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking and manufacturing a controlled drug.

Sideras’ wife, Jacinta van den Berk was initially jointly charged with him but all charges were dropped against her in June last year.

Charges were dropped against Sideras’ wife, Jacinta van den Berk in June last year. Photo: Facebook

Sideras was charged with the new offences three months after he was sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for two counts of drug trafficking.

Police searched a shed on a Lewiston property on June 17, 2020 and found 295ml of marijuana across nine vape pens and two bottles, as well as 504g of green paste, containing marijuana.

Sideras was sentenced to one year jail, with a non-parole period of seven-months, which was suspended on a $500, 12-month good behaviour bond.

Martin Anders, for Sideras, told the court on Thursday his client was a good man who had made some “grave and appalling errors in judgment”.

Mr Anders told the court Sideras found himself in a difficult financial situation and returned to trafficking as a result.

“He clearly hadn’t learnt enough of a lesson … as a result of the sentence that was imposed,” he said.

“His attitude should have hardened entirely, it has now.”

The court heard Sideras had been addicted to marijuana for many years but had abstained from use for a year.

Judge Michael Burnett will sentence Sideras at a later date.