Apostle Broikos accused of supplying and wiping AN0M phones and trafficking methamphetamine

The youngest South Australian charged in Operation Ironside has asked for home detention bail in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs, but prosecutors are fighting the attempt.

A former private schoolboy and the youngest South Australian arrested as part of Operation Ironside has been granted home-detention bail.

But Apostle Broikos, 18, will remain in custody until at least Thursday, when the Supreme Court will review his case after a challenge by prosecutors.

Broikos, of Burnside, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday charged with manufacturing a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine.

Prosecutors opposed Broikos’ release on bail, saying he could continue reoffending “wholly undetected”.

The court previously heard Broikos was accused of facilitated the delivery of cash to one of the men accused of running a Morphett Vale drug lab, as well as assisting in the supply of chemicals.

Police arrested “the cook”, Matthew Collins, 43, who has since pleaded guilty to manufacturing a commercial quantity of drugs.

The court was told Broikos was also one of eight people allegedly involved in transporting 10kg of methamphetamine from NSW to SA.

The truck – driven by John Stevenson, 25, who last week pleaded guilty to trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug – was intercepted at Yamba, in the eastern Riverland, on May 19, 2021.

Prosecutors alleged Broikos supplied an AN0M encrypted phone, which was delivered to Stevenson, as well as planning to pick up the methamphetamine if it had been delivered to SA.

They told the court that Broikos was alleged to be “the distributor of each and every AN0M handset used by those associated with the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang”.

The court also heard Broikos was accused of wiping at least 10 AN0M phones upon request.

Parents of Apostle Briokos pictured leaving Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe

David Edwardson QC, for Broikos, told the court that the supply of encrypted devices was not an offence itself.

“He’s got a job and adequate security can be put up in the sense of ensuring that he will comply,” he said.

The court heard Broikos could continue working at Refined Real Estate, alongside his father, if released on bail.

Magistrate John Wells granted Broikos home-detention bail “with a great amount of hesitation”, setting a condition that Broikos could not contact his co-accused.

His parents, who were “shocked” by the allegations against their son, were ordered to put up a $50,000 cash surety.

Prosecutors sought a Supreme Court bail review and Broikos was remanded in custody until Thursday.