Operation Foster: Four men await fate after suburban drug ring busted with ecstasy, fantasy, cocaine, cannabis and guns

Three drug dealers had wild excuses for entangling themselves in a major Adelaide crime syndicate – one just wanted to seem “cool” to the 253km/h hoon who got his car crushed.

Multiple men were arrested after they were caught selling various drugs to an undercover police officer, a court has heard.

Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams, 21, Todd William Roberts, 27, and Joseph Dean Ireland, 23, await their fate from custody after they entangled themselves in a large-scale drug enterprise.

During the men’s sentencing submissions on Tuesday, the District Court heard the men were charged as part of a six-month undercover police operation.

Detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch seized 4300 ecstasy tablets, three litres of fantasy, 80g of cocaine, 200g of cannabis and two firearms as a result of Operation Foster which ran between January and June 2023.

“The operation itself was large, labour intensive of police in relation to drugs that are well known to be very harmful in the community,” a prosecutor said.

Tarelle Power-Williams pleaded guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking.

MDMA tablets seized during the police raids. Picture: SA Police

Power-Williams, of Elizabeth Grove, and Ireland, of Angle Vale, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of drug trafficking, while Ireland also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm.

Roberts, of Paralowie, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking cocaine.

Andrew Williams, for Power-Williams, told the court his client’s offending was driven by an “all consuming” addiction to cocaine and Xanax, and he had been trying to pay off his drug debt.

Mr Williams said when police did a raid of the house as part of the operation, there wasn’t a significant link to Power-Williams.

“My client then got on the prison phone and rang a friend and told him all about the property being raided and him losing his drugs,” Mr Williams said.

The court heard Roberts was only involved in the drug operation on one occasion when he was there to get money back for his car from Power-Williams.

Todd Roberts pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking. Picture: Facebook

Joseph Ireland pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possessing a firearm. Picture: Facebook

Roberts’ counsel told the court Power-Williams took his $25,000 black ute for a test drive but it ended up being impounded and crushed after he was caught driving at an eye-watering speed.

Power-Williams was jailed last year for driving dangerously after reaching 253km/h in a 110km/h zone on the North-South Motorway at Waterloo Corner.

The court heard Roberts “extremely foolishly” involved himself in a drug transaction with an undercover officer while he was at the house because he wanted to seem cool to Power-Williams.

Stacey Carter, for Ireland, told the court her client had made a “big mistake” by involving himself in the drug trade but wanted to turn his life around.

Ms Carter said the undercover officer was very persistent in encouraging further transactions from him.

Judge Joana Fuller will sentence the men in August.