Romeo Cavaiuolo charged with importing commercial quantities of pseudoephedrine in ABF sting

A young dad of four – who once saved a mum and child from a burning house – allegedly had kilograms of illegal precursor chemicals sent to his mother-in-law’s house, a court has heard.

A young father of four has been refused bail after he was charged with having kilos of a drug precursor chemicals direct to his mother-in-law’s house.

Romeo Cavaiuolo, who hit headlines in 2019 when he helped to save a mother and daughter from a fire, was arrested on Friday by police and Australian Border Force personnel after two packages of pseudoephedrine mailed from India were seized at a Largs Bay property.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, Magistrate John Wells heard during a bail application that one of the packages contained 2.649kg of pseudoephedrine while the second package had yet to be weighed.

Roman Cavaiuolo has been arrested by the Australian Border Force officers and charged with importing kilos of pseudoephedrine. Picture:Supplied

Pseudoephedrine is a precursor chemical used primarily in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

The packages purportedly contained either a kind of pasta maker or chopping boards, which the court heard contained the illegal chemicals.

The second parcel had the chemicals removed and replaced with powder and then sent to the Largs Bay address.

Police staged a delivery to the premises where Mr Cavaiuolo’s partner’s mother received the package and confirmed they had been expecting its delivery.

Romeo Cavaiuolo in 2019 when he came to the aid of a mother and her two-year-old child who were in a burning house. Picture: AAP Image/Morgan Sette

On Friday, police and ABF raided Mr Cavaiuolo’s Tapleys Hill home.

A prosecutor told the court police allegedly found 32g of methamphetamine in two different containers in Mr Cavaiuolo’s bedroom along with $11,305 cash.

Police also say they seized two electric scales, a taser disguised as a torch, a notebook containing a “tick list” – or list of drug debts – and three bags of iodine.

Iodine can also be used as a precursor chemical in the making of methamphetamine, but Mr Cavaiuolo’s lawyer said the chemical was used by his client’s partner in caring for two horses.

Mr Cavaiuolo, 29, was charged with importing commercial quantities of a border controlled precursor, drug trafficking and money laundering.

The court heard he had made admissions to police that he had provided an address for the consignment of chemicals to be delivered in exchange for clearing a drug debt he owed to a third party.

Mr Cavaiuolo’s lawyer asked for his client to be released on home detention bail so he could continue to provide for his young family.

The court heard Mr Cavaiuolo’s father and sister were willing to either provide cash sureties or to be guarantors if he was released.

Mr Wells refused the application, saying the seriousness of the offences and the risk of Mr Cavaiuolo reoffending were factors against release.

He remanded Mr Cavaiuolo in custody until next month when he will face court again on the Commonwealth precursor importation charges.