North Adelaide chef Adam White charged with cooking, trafficking meth in Camden Park home
A chef from a North Adelaide cafe has been refused bail after allegedly manufacturing 5kg of meth in his home, with police arresting a second person.
Police & Courts
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A chef from a North Adelaide cafe has been charged after neighbours noticed a “chemical” smell from his western suburbs unit – and police allegedly found a meth lab.
On Thursday, Adam White, 36, appeared from the cells in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to apply for bail after being arrested when police allegedly discovered 5kg of meth at his home.
Tim Dibden for Mr White applied for bail for his client, who he said worked as a chef at Fare and Square cafe, on Wellington Square, which would make a curfew condition difficult to comply with.
“A curfew might prove problematic because, I’ve actually been to Fare and Square and it’s primarily an evening restaurant,” Mr Dibden said.
The court heard he also worked for Uber and Door Dash.
Police were called to Mr White’s Camden Park unit after neighbours reported a strong “chemical smell” coming from the home.
Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives entered the home and allegedly located a laboratory and chemicals believed to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Police prosecution told the court chemists at the scene allegedly located 5kg of cooked methamphetamine drugs.
It is alleged chemical ingredients capable of producing a further 15kg of methamphetamine were also located.
Detectives spent most of Thursday dismantling the lab.
Mr White is charged with one count of manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and one count of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
He is yet to enter a plea.
The court heard Mr White had no relevant prior criminal history, and friends had offered Mr White and his wife a place to live, as their home may be deemed in need of “decontamination” after police searches.
Prosecutors opposed bail in all forms due to the “serious” nature of the allegations.
Magistrate Christopher Smolicz called the allegations “very serious” the charges carrying a maximum of life in jail.
His Honour remarked the prosecution case seemed “strong”.
Mr Smolicz refused to grant Mr White bail, and the matter will return to court in June this year.
On Friday, SAPOL arrested a 46-year-old Camden Park woman after further investigations and has been charged with manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
She is expected to face court on Friday
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