Adam Fennell, Beau Cochrane and Dion Madden charged with drug trafficking and money laundering after Magill bust
Three men, including an ex-F45 trainer have been arrested after cops planted cameras and listening devices, allegedly uncovering a sophisticated drug dealing business.
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Three men have been charged with drug trafficking and money laundering after covert cameras and listening devices were set up by police at a Magill shed.
Adam Robert Fennell, 47, Beau James Cochrane, 30, and Dion Jay Madden, 40, are accused of running a sophisticated drug dealing business.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Cochrane and Madden did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody.
Fennell, of Payneham, – who was an F45 trainer at the Glenelg studio until recently – applied for home detention bail.
A police prosecutor opposed the bail application, saying it was a “complex” investigation.
The court heard prosecution’s evidence includes over 15,000 intercepted telephone recordings and visual recordings from a shed at a Magill address from a covert camera and listening device.
“The investigation shows that there was a large amount of methamphetamine sighted, as well as the three accused in this matter handling packaging and weighing methamphetamine for sale,” the police prosecutor said.
“Large amounts of cash have been sighted being counted by the three co-accused and discussions in relation to quantities of methamphetamine and heroin were captured.”
The three men were arrested last week.
The court heard police searched Fennell’s address and allegedly found over $100,000 in cash.
Police also seized a Harley Davidson motorcycle and Toyota Corolla.
“As this is an ongoing investigation and a serious matter, there is significant concern that if any of the co-accused were released from custody that there would be destruction of evidence,” the police prosecutor said.
All three men are charged with commercial drug trafficking and money laundering, while Madden, of Glynde, and Cochrane, of Highbury, are also charged with possessing multiple firearms.
The court heard Fennell was already facing other drug trafficking charges, alongside Sonia Kay Doeuk, 42, who police believe is Fennell’s partner.
Fennell and Doeuk were arrested after police searched Doeuk’s Salisbury Downs house in August.
Police allegedly located 24g methamphetamine, empty resealable bags, tick lists and 1.7kg of GHB, also known as fantasy.
Doeuk – who was eight months pregnant at the time of her application – was denied bail last month and likely gave birth in custody.
Kate Budzynski, for Fennell, told the court he had never been remanded in custody before and there would be significant delays before the charges could go to trial.
“The facts of charge does not confirm there is drug paraphernalia or the like located at his house ... there is no reference to tick lists or anything like this being located at his house,” she said.
“But he’s apparently captured on covert cameras handling what appears to be methamphetamine and counting large amounts of cash in the shed at Magill,” replied Magistrate Simon Smart.
Mr Smart denied Fennell bail. The charges were adjourned until August.
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