11 South Australian street-level drug dealers exposed
From tradies who began selling to friends to a cafe owner whose life spiralled out of control, these 11 street drug dealers have been punished.
Police & Courts
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Adelaide was once the nation’s ice capital, but drugs continue to be dealt by unexpected traffickers on our streets and found in unexpected places.
But as SAPOL officials and officers of the court continue to reiterate to those dealing these illicit substances – dealers get caught “sooner or later”.
Here are 11 of South Australia’s street-level drug dealers.
Kaani Maxwell Matthews
Small bags of cocaine found in a Toyota in Kaani Maxwell Matthews’ driveway was just the start of his troubles.
It was an iced cappuccino box, brown paper bag and electronic scales inside a wardrobe that revealed the full extent of his drug trafficking.
Matthews, 28, was arrested on December 29 after a police search of his Port Willunga home, which found a combined total of 14g of cocaine worth about $5000 on the street.
He plead guilty to one count of trafficking in a controlled drug.
During sentencing, Judge Jo-Anne Deuter said the scaffolder began selling to friends to cover his own drug use, over which he’d lost his job.
The court heard Matthews had started using at 18 when visiting nightclubs, but when a friend tragically died, his use became a tool to numb the pain.
At the highest point, Matthews consumed 3g of cocaine a day.
Judge Deuter said Matthews had been described as a “considerate, outstanding worker” in letters of support from his employer, and his father, who carries Mauri tradition strongly, was “disappointed” but supportive.
“I am giving you a chance … You are in a good situation at the moment with your work, your family and your partner and I expect you will take full advantage of that opportunity,” Judge Deuter said.
Matthews was sentenced to three years and three months, suspended on a 21-month, $1000 good behaviour bond.
Belinda Dyson
A WA mother of three wept silently throughout her sentencing as a judge recounted the circumstances that led to her attempt to smuggle almost 100 grams of methamphetamine on to a plane in 2020.
Belinda Joy Dyson, 42, was arrested in Adelaide on July 29, 2020, after police discovered 97.5g of methamphetamine stitched into the lining of two bras hidden in her handbag during a search as she attempted to board a flight to Perth.
She plead guilty to the charge of trafficking a controlled drug in February 2021.
At her sentencing in May 2024, Judge Ian Press said Dyson, who grew up in Mount Gambier, had flown from Perth to Adelaide for the purpose of purchasing methamphetamine to sell in WA to pay off a debt.
He said messages on Dyson’s phone indicated she wanted to make an “ongoing arrangement” with the dealer and said she “may be chasing a kilogram in a couple of weeks”.
Tears streamed down Dyson’s face as Judge Press outlined the “number of significant upheavals” she’d suffered before first using meth “as a form of self-medication” including a cancer battle, the death of her brother, a divorce and ongoing issues finding employment due to Covid.
Following her arrest in 2020, Dyson’s court proceedings were postponed repeatedly in 2021 due to Covid; in 2022 she suffered a “severe” stroke that left her ability to see and walk significantly limited.
Judge Press allowed Dyson to remain seated as he sentenced her to four years and 21 days imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years and two months.
In light of her guilty plea, lack of criminal history, rehab efforts, delay between offence and sentence and “catastrophic consequence” of her stroke, he suspended the jail time and allowed her to return to WA under a good-behaviour bond.
Judge Press issued her a stern warning, saying if it wasn’t for the time that had passed between her offending and sentence, and her stroke, she would have received a much harsher sentence.
“Ms (Dyson) before you go, you have enough on your plate without having to worry about serving a sentence of imprisonment,” Judge Press said.
“I have no doubt you will continue what you have started and that I won’t see you again.”
Sarah Cotton
Drugs hidden inside a can of shaving cream resulted in a four-year prison sentence for a 26-year-old Adelaide woman.
Sarah Mary Helen Cotton was sentenced in District Court for trafficking meth and money laundering after police unearthed more than 11g of methylamphetamine and more than $10,000 cash while searching her home in May 2022
Police found the shaving cream can in a handbag with a false bottom – inside were two small plastic bags containing 7.79g and 2.94g of methylamphetamine.
They also found $9650 cash, digital scales with traces of drugs, and another 1.79g of meth in a bag hidden in Cotton’s jacket.
She was found to be carrying a knife and $1575 cash.
Examination of a phone located in one of the bedrooms revealed messages and photographs indicative of meth trafficking.
During sentencing, Judge Paul Muscat said at the time of her arrest, she was already “on bail in relation to other charges”.
A court heard the 26-year-old had an “extremely dysfunctional” childhood “characterised by constant chaos and drama” and was introduced to meth in 2017 by her partner.
From 21, Cotton used meth daily, unable to give it up because she “liked using too much”, Judge Muscat said, adding her drug use escalated after her partner and his brother were killed in a 2020 car crash.
He said Cotton has been diagnosed as suffering from a borderline personality disorder and stimulant and alcohol use disorders, and believed there was a “direct nexus” between that, her meth use and offending.
“Unfortunately, Ms Cotton’s criminogenic risk factors, her personality dysfunction and her psychological challenges do not appear to have yet been effectively mitigated by targeted intervention,” he said.
He believed she was likely to relapse if she were to be released in the near future.
He sentenced Cotton to four years in jail, reduced to three years, nine months and 18 days in jail due to Cotton pleading guilty.
Max Ozawa
Chronic boredom and the poor influence of his new wife’s “associates” brought Max Ozawa, 55, back towards a life of drugs, gambling and criminal offences.
The Vietnamese refugee, who suffers from PTSD, had abstained from taking meth after his release from prison in 2015 for drug offending.
But he returned to using after meeting his second wife and needed money to fund his habits.
In early 2022, Ozawa was approached by another man asking him to supply 12 pounds of cannabis to him – which sentencing Judge Ian Press said Ozawa was aware would be destined for sale.
Ozawa supplied 2.17kg of cannabis on April 12, 2022, and a further 1.95kg on June 6, 2022, to the man, and Judge Press said he was likely approached due to his “corporate knowledge” of the “drug trafficking world”.
The Pennington man plead guilty to trafficking in a large commercial quantity of cannabis and trafficking in a commercial quantity of cannabis.
Judge Press said it would be to Ozawa’s benefit to seek treatment for his mental health issues and his previous abstinence showed “some hope for his future”.
He said language barriers Ozawa would face during his imprisonment would give rise to “a sense of loneliness”.
Ozawa wept as Judge Press sentenced him to three years and eight month imprisonment, with a two-year, eleven-month and seven-day non-parole period.
Sonia Kay Doeuk
A cafe owner avoided the same fate as her drug dealing boyfriend because of her efforts toward rehabilitation.
Sonia Kay Doeuk, 44, was sentenced in the District Court in September last year where she was praised for her “remarkable” rehab efforts.
The court heard Doeuk decided to turn her life around realising she was pregnant in custody.
Police attended her Lightsview home in October 2019 where they located 147g of cannabis, 22 Suboxone strips, 6.15g of MDMA crystals, 23 MDMA tablets and just over 1g of meth.
Police also found tick lists, resealable bags and $785.
The court heard police received information Doeuk was again trafficking drugs on October 10, 2019.
“They found you unconscious in the living room, presumably due to drug abuse,” Judge Rauf Soulio said.
Doeuk was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Police searched her house again and found 23.8g of mixed methamphetamine, Suboxone strips, several mobile phones and $2340.
Doeuk pleaded guilty to six counts of drug trafficking and one count of possessing a controlled drug.
The court heard Doeuk’s life spiralled after her partner died by suicide in 2017.
Doeuk fell into an “insidious” addiction and began purchasing drugs in bulk, selling them to offset her costs.
Judge Soulio sentenced Doeuk to four years and eight months jail, with a non-parole period of two years.
Judge Soulio ordered Doeuk serve the sentence on home detention.
Daniel Berry
A phone search by police unearthed the drug dealing habit of a man who first started illicit drug use at the age of 10.
Daniel James Paul Berry, 46, was sentenced in the District Court in April for two counts of trafficking in a controlled drug.
During a search of Berry’s phone in October 2021, police found messages indicative of trafficking cannabis.
They then searched Berry’s property and found 129.8g of cannabis and 42.3g of Dexamphetamine, a set of scales and three bundles of deal bags.
Judge Michael Durrant said Berry, who was originally from Whyalla, had been previously imprisoned for a 2017 drug offence and had a long history of illicit drug use and abuse.
“You began smoking marijuana at 10,” Judge Durrant said. “At 18 you began using methamphetamine weekly and at an increasing rate. From 30 to 35 you were using a gram per day.”
Judge Durrant said Berry had also used Dexamphetamine and experimented with ecstasy and other prescription medication.
He had also recently been diagnosed with ADHD by a psychologist.
“For your prospects of rehabilitation, drugs are the primary criminogenic factor,” Judge Durrant said.
“I accept you are genuine in your desire to remain abstinent and turn your life around.”
Judge Durrant sentenced Berry to two years, six months and five days jail and suspended Berry’s final sentence upon him entering a $500, two-year good behaviour bond.
Elizabeth Knight
A middle-aged woman started trafficking a small amount of drugs “to make a small profit” after her dream of becoming a jockey ended at 17.
Elizabeth Knight, 50, was sentenced in the District Court in February after she was caught with 9.1g of meth.
The court heard she was trafficking the drugs to support her own addiction and “to make a small profit”.
After originally pleading not guilty to trafficking, Knight changed her plea to guilty upon her arraignment in the District Court.
The 50-year-old was renting two sheds at a semirural property at Penfield when police arrived in relation to an investigation into an armed robbery she was not alleged to be a part of.
While searching the two sheds, police discovered 372g of cannabis in a chest of drawers and 9.19g of meth inside a magnetic box behind the fridge.
Police found $3420 in cash she said was her “rent money”.
The court heard of her previous sentences for meth trafficking – four years in 2009 and three years in 2017.
Knight was sentenced to five years with a non-parole period of four years.
Nicole Heinrich
A woman was labelled “very stupid” by a District Court judge for starting to sell drugs to keep up with her bills during the cost-of-living crisis.
Nicole Heinrich, 41, was sentenced in October last year after she was found in possession of small quantities of cannabis and meth in December 2022. Drug dealing messages and a tick list were also found on her phone.
Heinrich, of Elizabeth Park, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
“You made admissions to the police to buying and selling drugs to help pay your household bills,” Judge Muscat said in sentencing.
Judge Muscat said it was accepted Heinrich, a drug user herself, wasn’t making a large profit and was trafficking only a few weeks prior to being caught.
“Inevitably you were going to be caught and you were,” Judge Paul Muscat said. “Most drug dealers get caught sooner or later.”
Heinrich was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 13 months.
The sentence was suspended with Heinrich ordered to enter a 18-month, good-behaviour bond.
Nicholas Joseph Margaritis
A concreter’s secret double life was exposed when he failed to give way to a police car at a give way sign.
Nicholas Joseph Margaritis, 35, made the driving error on May 10, 2022, which led to police finding methamphetamine in his pants waistband.
After a search, they discovered cannabis, meth and $12,000 in various storage containers around the car.
Police later travelled to his Para Hills address where they uncovered more than $4000 worth of other drugs – including a Blackmores vitamin bottle filled with 163g of GHB.
The court heard evidence consistent with an “ongoing enterprise” of trafficking activities including electronic scales, a tick list of names, text messages extracted from an iPhone relating to waiting on “stock”.
Judge Michelle Sutcliffe said Margaritis, a concreter by trade, had injured his knee and required surgery in 2014.
The court heard the pain of the injury and the further complication caused by returning to work due to financial commitments too early led to him using cannabis and meth himself.
Judge Sutcliffe said he was “reasonably confident” being charged with two counts of trafficking in a controlled drug – to which Margaritis pleaded guilty – was a “turning point” toward rehabilitation.
During sentencing, Judge Sutcliffe determined Margaritis was turning a “modest” profit and sentenced him to three years, two months imprisonment with a one-year, seven-month non-parole period.
Her Honour determined his good character, remorse and low risk of reoffending were not grounds to suspend the sentence, but were grounds for it to be served on home detention.
Brock Allan Kennett
A young father was given a chance to turn his life around after being found with 19.68g of drugs and scales.
Brock Allan Kennett, 27, was sentenced in the District Court last year after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.
Kennett was stopped and detained by police on September 25, 2022, in Mount Gambier as he had an active warrant.
An Adidas bum bag was searched and was found to contain a total of 19.68g of drugs and scales.
Kennett also revealed he had been trafficking drugs.
Judge Durrant said there was no doubt Kennett needed to address his drug abuse if his offending was to cease.
He sentenced Kennett to two years and 10 months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and five months.
He was ordered to serve the sentence on home detention.
Sarah Hayes
A single mother was put behind bars after she ignored several warnings from a judge to stay away from drugs.
Sarah Hayes, 42, was sentenced in the District Court in February this year after a search of her car in January, 2019, uncovered a large sum of cash in her purse, more than 14g of meth in her handbag, multiple phones and tick lists.
A second stop at Kensington in March turned up more than 3g of methamphetamine in her handbag, while a search of her home found more meth, scales and tick lists.
Hayes pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
“You have claimed that the offences were committed by you to support your addiction to methamphetamine and to repay significant debts that you incurred to your drug dealers,” Judge Paul Muscat said.
Judge Muscat said as soon as Hayes’ home detention bail conditions were removed in 2020 things “went off the rails”.
The court heard Hayes continually offended while on bail, including returning positive drug tests, drug driving and driving dangerously to escape a police pursuit.
Judge Muscat issued a warrant for Hayes’ arrest in September last year after she failed to show up to court, saying her excuses “just go on and on” and reports showed Hayes was leading a “disorganised and chaotic lifestyle”.
“Plainly, what I said to you and what you were told to do by your community corrections officer, fell on deaf ears,” he said.
“Indeed, you have been given more chances than many to demonstrate your commitment to reform.
“Your failure to do so reflects adversely on your prospects of rehabilitation and reveals that you remain at risk of offending in some way.”
Hayes was sentenced to three years and three months in jail with a non-parole period of one year and six months.
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