Man behind state’s biggest clan drugs lab Anton Pasquale Gerardis jailed

A FORMER junior footballer has been jailed for developing the state’s largest clandestine drugs laboratory in rural South Australia, which a judge condemned as causing “great” community harm.

Police found almost 190,000 ecstasy pills in the raid on the Walker Flat property.

A FORMER junior footballer has been jailed for his role in the state’s largest clandestine drugs laboratory in rural South Australia, which a judge condemned for causing great community harm.

Anton Pasquale Gerardis, 32, secretly facilitated the illicit multimillion-dollar business on his grandparents’ property on the outskirts of Walker Flat, a small Murraylands town 115km east of Adelaide.

A police raid in February 2014 found almost 190,000 ecstasy — or MDMA — and NBOMe pills, a commercial pill press and precursor chemicals capable of producing at least $50 million worth of methamphetamine.

Anton Pasquale Gerardis. SA's biggest clan lab, $10m drugs haul at Mannum. Gerardis leaves the District Court. Picture Greg Higgs 30/3/2017

Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives seized illegal firearms, including almost a dozen semiautomatic and bolt action weapons, magazines and ammunition.

Gerardis, a drug and gambling addict of Angle Vale, in the northern suburbs, was this week jailed for 11 years but District Court Judge Rauf Soulio handed him a “lower than usual” non-parole period of nearly 4 ½ years.

The carpenter faced life behind bars or a $500,000 fine after admitting drug trafficking and manufacturing charges as well as firearms offences.

Guns found at the property.

Judge Soulio took into account a landmark “community impact” statement laying bare locals’ grief. “The production and sale of drugs causes great harm in the community,” he said. “Those involved in offending of this nature must expect to receive significant sentences of imprisonment.”

Co-accused Amedeo Macchiavelli, 35, of Eastwood, was jailed in July after admitting his role in the state’s biggest drugs clan lab. A Glenelg East man, 30, who cannot be named, will face trial later.