Dylan Ryan Chapman Tiver, consuming almost 30g of cocaine a week at the time of his arrest

A former FIFO worker who has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking was a street-level drug dealer, a courthas heard – just in “large amounts”.

A former FIFO worker caught with 339g of cocaine and $11,800 of cash was consuming almost 30g of the substance around the time of his arrest, a court has heard.

Dylan Ryan Chapman Tiver, 31, appeared in the District Court on Monday, where a court heard he was no more than a street-level drug dealer that got in over his head.

Tiver previously pleaded guilty to a range of drug trafficking changes and to money laundering.

Casey Isaacs, for Tiver, said his client was using more than 20g of cocaine per week when he was acting as a “street dealer”.

Dylan Tiver was consuming almost 30g of cocaine per week at the time of his arrest. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“He instructs he was using about an ounce a week, about 28g,” he said. “This was not a planned enterprise where he was operating in a hierarchy.

“He was operating like a street dealer but just in large amounts.”

According to court documents, police located the cocaine at a Noarlunga Downs property, an O’Sullivan Beach property and in a Holden vehicle on November 24, 2022.

$11,800 in cash was also found underneath a seat in the vehicle.

Mr Isaacs said Tiver’s addiction fed his dealing habit and he had no intention to profit.

“It gradually increased as his use increased and then because of that he was able to get more drugs,” he said.

Dylan Tiver leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“Primarily it was a situation that he was just dealing to defray his own costs and deal with it,” he said.

“We accept that those amounts were getting larger … and we accept there would’ve been a profit.”

Judge Heath Barklay said he didn’t accept Tiver was just wanting to defray his costs.

“Given the amount of drugs he had in his possession … I don’t necessarily accept your submission that it was primarily motivated for the defrayal of his own costs,” he said.

Mr Isaacs asked the court to impose a lenient sentence on Tiver, who he said got involved in drugs after the break down of a relationship and the loss of his fly-in, fly-out job due to Covid.

“He also has future ambitions to become some sort of educator when it comes to drug use,” he said.

Prosecutor Eilis Noone said the Director of Public Prosecution took the position Tiver should serve his sentence in custody.

Tiver will return to the District Court in March for sentencing.