Daniel Heffernan jailed for over two years for large commercial drug trafficking

A drug-dealing dad is behind bars after he was caught alongside his partner with a large quantity of fantasy.

A drug dealer caught with kilos of fantasy during a police raid is behind bars but still doesn’t accept the jury’s verdict.

Daniel Maxwell Heffernan, 37, was jailed for over two years after a frantic attempt to tip drugs down the drain, during a police raid, with his partner, Danielle Michelle Booth, 40.

During sentencing on Monday, the District Court heard police attended a property at Two Wells on February 2, 2020.

There was a lengthy delay before Booth answered the door.

Daniel Heffernan was found guilty of large commercial drug trafficking. Picture: Facebook

The court heard police located 1.1kg of fantasy in the bathroom and 5.5kg of fantasy in a car parked out the front of the house.

In the bathroom there were a number of empty plastic bottles on the floor and fantasy in the bathtub.

The drugs located were worth more than $13,000.

James Meegan, for the prosecution, told the court during sentencing submissions that was because either Booth or Heffernan, or both of them, were trying to get rid of as much fantasy as possible before answering the door.

Police also located multiple mobile phones, funnels and $1845 in Booth’s handbag and $1000 on Heffernan.

Booth, of Salisbury Heights, and Heffernan, of Brahma Lodge, were found guilty of large commercial drug trafficking and commercial drug trafficking after the jury trial.

The court heard Heffernan’s drug use escalated after the end of a serious relationship in 2014 and he started consuming half an eight ball of methamphetamine per day.

The fantasy found in the car. Picture: Courts SA

Empty bottles of fantasy were found during the search. Picture: Courts SA

The court heard Heffernan, who has four children, including two with Booth, was determined to stay off drugs once released from custody.

“Your risk of reoffending depends entirely on your ability to cease drug use,” Judge Michael Durrant said.

The court heard Heffernan didn’t accept the jury verdict, saying he wasn’t selling drugs.

Judge Durrant sentenced Heffernan to two years, three months and 30 days jail, with a non-parole period of one year and two months.

“It is well known that the trafficking of large commercial quantities of a controlled substance both damages and has a detrimental effect on the community,” he said.

Booth will face sentencing submissions in February.

Some of the tick lists found during the search. Picture: Courts SA