David Randell pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking after southern suburbs syndicate uncovered
An “Uber driver” for drug dealers in a sophisticated syndicate has begged for no jail after he was caught with close to a kilo of meth in a popular shopping centre.
Police & Courts
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An “Uber driver” for drug dealers has begged for no jail after he entangled himself in the sophisticated syndicate for little reward.
David Gregory Randell, 39, was caught handing over close to a kilo of meth in a shopping centre drug deal.
Serious and organised crime branch police arrested Randell and several other men on November 24 and 25, 2021 as part of an investigation into drug distribution across Adelaide’s southern suburbs.
During sentencing submissions on Thursday, the District Court heard Randell transported 85g of methamphetamine, valued at up to $33,000, his co-accused, Umar Ali Ubrahim.
On another occasion Randell provided a parcel containing 993g of methamphetamine, valued up to $385,000 to another co-accused at the Hackham Shopping centre.
Randell pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking.
A prosecutor pushed for immediate jail for Randell, saying it was serious offending and he had continually breached his bail by returning positive drug tests.
Peter Morrison, for Randell, told the court his client became involved in the syndicate after giving Ubrahim a tattoo.
Through Ubrahim he became reacquainted with Blake Eric Thompson – the main player in the operation – who suggested Randell drive him around as he didn’t have a licence.
“He was basically a chauffeur, the equivalent of an Uber driver for those men that sat well above him in the hierarchy of this operation,” Mr Morrison said.
“Mr Randell both transported the men for the purposes of drug sales and on limited occasions transported the drugs himself.”
Thompson, 36, of Aldinga Beach, was sentenced for 89 counts of drug trafficking and one count of money laundering in the District Court in 2022.
He was jailed for 13 years and three months, with a non-parole period of ten years and seven months.
Ubrahim, who pleaded guilty to eight counts of drug trafficking, was jailed for six years.
The court heard Randell, a talented artist and tattooist, received drugs and the use of hire cars in return for his offending.
Mr Morrison pushed for a home detention sentence, saying Randell had made attempts to rehabilitate and asked the court to give him one last shot to rid himself of his drug addiction.
Judge Joanne Tracey will sentence Randell in April.
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