Raffaele Marrone trafficked methamphetamine at Penfield Gardens family home

A man who was running an elaborate drug operation from his family home in Penfield Gardens had an excuse for missing court but a judge was quick to call him out. 

A father-of-seven who was drug dealing from his family home was exposed after police found meth hidden in crafty places.

Raffaele Daniel Marrone, 43, was due to face sentencing submissions in the Adelaide District Court on Thursday but his lawyer told the court he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Judge Rauf Soulio was not impressed.

“I make the anecdotal observation that whilst science hasn’t yet reached its conclusion, the use of methamphetamine seems to cause Covid,” he said. 

“Those who don’t use methamphetamine don’t have Covid symptoms, turn up for testing and turn up for court.

“Those who relapse back into use of methamphetamine often seem to develop Covid like symptoms when drug tests are due or court is due.”

A prosecutor told the court they would be applying to revoke Marrone’s bail on the next appearance.

The court previously heard Marrone was “deeply involved” in trafficking drugs following an investigation from October, 2019 until August, 2020.

Raffaele Marrone pleaded guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking. Photo: Facebook

The court heard police searched the Marrone’s Penfield Gardens home on June 4, 2020 and found 7.3g of methamphetamine in the bedhead of the bedroom, as well as a hard drive.

“This hard drive shows six weeks of footage from eight cameras – showing numerous drug schemes that the defendant is conducting from his house,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard police found methamphetamine hidden in palm trees in the garden, as well as $11,000 in cash.

However, what police initially believed to be over 100g of methamphetamine in one of the children’s bedrooms turned out to be an ingredient (dimethyl sulfide) to make slime.

"It was an experiment for the kids and had nothing to do with methamphetamine at all,” Marrone’s lawyer previously told the court.

The Virginia man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking and money laundering.

The charges were dropped against Marrone’s wife, Tania last year. Photo: Facebook

The drug trafficking charge against his wife, Tania Louise Marrone, 47, was dropped by the prosecution in June, last year.

The court previously heard the Marrones own a beauty salon and have seven children.

In the Adelaide District Court on Thursday, Judge Soulio adjourned Marrone's charges until next month.