SA drug dealers named and shamed: 12 dealers sentenced in 2022 exposed
A woman uncovered by her lopsided breast, a former monk and once high flying real estate agent are among SA’s shocking drug dealers. See the full list.
Police & Courts
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Every year, illicit drug traffickers find themselves in the court system answering to their crimes.
While the “flexible and responsive” drug market was still subject to supply and demand fluctuations, SA Police chief inspector Darren Fielke was adamant on interrupting the supply chain before it enters the state.
“SAPOL is always seeking to disrupt and disable the illicit drug trade wherever possible,” the Drug and Organised Crime Task Force officer in charge said.
“Our objective is interrupt the supply before it enters the state – so often the impact of policing activity locally is not reflected in statistics alone.
“SAPOL remained active in response to disrupting and disabling the illicit drug trade during Covid and while border controls have been relaxed this will not impact against the continuous work being undertaken in this area.”
Here are the stories of those convicted of serious drug offences by SA courts this year. While a majority received a prison sentence, some were given a second chance to stay out of jail.
Jak Noack
A “very busy” drug dealer will miss his son’s formative years after he was busted selling to multiple clients on social media.
Jak Bailey Noack, 22, could see only “dollar signs” while he was running his illegal business, despite preparing to be a new father.
The Adelaide District Court heard police searched Noack’s Berri premises on February 15, 2021.
They found $1900, a tick list, marijuana and multiple weapons, including throwing knives and a crossbow.
He had a private Snapchat group named “Jak’s private” created in June, 2020.
The court heard Noack made 294 posts in the group over an eight-month period, including photos and videos of drugs advertised for sale.
“You sent and received messages from more than 60 individual accounts organising the sale of a range of controlled and prescription drugs,” Judge Simon Stretton said during sentencing.
Noack also posted a photo saying: “If you need a bag, give me a message, I should be able to sort you out. It will have to be one person every few hours at a time so it’s not suss”.
“On at least one occasion you refer to yourself as ‘running a shop’,” Judge Stretton said.
“You were operating a very considerable business.”
Noack, of Loxton, had pleaded guilty to five counts of drug trafficking and possessing prohibited weapons.
Judge Stretton sentenced Noack on March 7 to four years and three months in jail, with a non-parole period of three years and six months.
Eliza Averis
Flagstaff Hill woman Eliza Grace Averis’s extraordinary financial success as a southern suburbs drug trafficker was on a sharp downturn from the moment a police officer noticed her lopsided breasts.
Just after 1am on July 11, 2020, the 25-year-old was pulled over by uniformed police in Reynella.
Officers ran name checks on Averis and her passenger, with intelligence alerting that both were linked to the drug trade.
One of the officers noticed that Averis’s “left breast was sitting higher than her right”.
When she was searched, police found an ice pipe and a bag of methamphetamine crystals hidden in her bra.
A later search found a second bag of methamphetamine also hidden in her bra.
In a Mimco bag in the back seat was $850 – nearly the entire amount she would get from Centrelink a fortnight in unemployment benefits – and a list of names with corresponding amounts of money next to them – a “tick list” or list of drug debts.
From there, detectives took over and were able to trace conversations with various individuals to deposits of corresponding funds into Averis’s bank account.
Averis was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and, after her phone was analysed, had a further 15 trafficking charges added.
She was also charged with laundering $115,424.41 which police said was directly linked to the drug trade.
Averis was sentenced to five years, two months and 12 days in prison on March 28.
Because she was charged with numerous drug offences, Averis was classified as a serious repeat offender and was given a mandatory four-fifths non-parole period of four years, two months and 12 days.
Brooke Tulloch
Brooke Lee Tulloch, 26, was in the “wrong place at the wrong time” when she foolishly agreed to orchestrate a drug deal, despite receiving no benefit.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard an undercover officer was sent to a Parafield Gardens address to attempt to purchase drugs from Tulloch’s housemate.
When the officer arrived at the house on February 14, 2020, Tulloch opened the door and was asked if she knew where to buy drugs.
The officer drove them to a nearby grocery store and gave Tulloch $100 to purchase heroin.
Tulloch returned a short time later and gave 0.2g of heroin to the undercover officer.
“You said that you knew people who could supply heroin and they were nearby,” Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal said during sentencing.
The Salisbury East woman pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.
The court heard Tulloch, who had previously worked as a manager at a service station, had tried drugs socially but said it was not for her.
She sentenced Tulloch on May 9 to 10 months in jail.
The sentence was suspended on a 18-month good behaviour bond.
Philip Careswell
A judge did not believe Philip John Careswell was growing and tending to kilograms of marijuana worth significant amounts of money, only in exchange for free rent.
Careswell, was jailed for over four years after he played a significant role in the “thriving operation” after police attended Careswell’s Carey Gully property on April 23, 2020.
“A search of the premises revealed that two rooms had been modified for the purpose of growing cannabis hydroponically,” Judge Geraldine Davison said during sentencing.
Police found 21 marijuana plants in the grow rooms, 12.977kg of marijuana in multiple bags and jars throughout the house, as well as light shades and globes.
Careswell had also been diverting electricity.
“The operation being conducted in this house was a significant commercial operation,” Judge Davison said.
“Most, if not all, of this house was dedicated to the cultivation and production of cannabis on a commercial scale.
“There is every reason to think that it was a thriving operation.”
Careswell pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including commercial drug trafficking.
Judge Davison sentenced Careswell on April 19 to four years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of two years.
Jacqueline Lee Sharp
A Whyalla supermarket manager dodged jail a second time after she was caught dealing meth only six months after being sentenced for the same offence.
The Adelaide District Court heard police stopped a car that Jacqueline Lee Sharp, 32 was a passenger in on January 29 at Whyalla Stuart.
Sharp, who was found with an ice pipe, threw her shoes on the ground after she got out of the car.
“Inside a sock within one of the shoes they found a container with 7.05g of methamphetamine in it,” Judge Gordon Barrett said during sentencing.
Police also found $2810 in her purse, with messages on Sharp’s phone revealing regular drug dealing sales.
The court heard Sharp had started using methamphetamine at the age of 22.
Sharp was convicted of drug trafficking after she was found with 6.3g of methamphetamine and $1635 in January, 2020 and sentenced to two years and 11 months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and eight months.
She was ordered to serve the sentence on home detention.
The court heard Sharp was a valued night-fill manager at Woolworths and was in charge of 25 employees.
Judge Barretts sentenced Sharp on February 22 to four years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of two years and four months.
It was suspended on a three-year $1000 good behaviour bond, with supervision, due to Sharp’s employment and good prospects of rehabilitation.
Bianca Bais
Bianca Dorothea Bais, 49, claimed her cash was pokies winnings and resealable plastic bags were for jewellery in attempts to prove her innocence after police uncovered her drug-dealing business.
The Adelaide District Court heard the mother-of-two sold methamphetamine to an undercover police officer four times between April and August 2018.
Bais sold the undercover officer 0.2g, 0.16g, 0.18g and 0.98g of methamphetamine.
The officer attended Bais’ address on two more occasions to buy drugs but Bais told her she was no longer selling because the risk was too high.
Police arrested Bais in October, 2018, and during a search of her house they found $1980, plastic resealable bags and drug equipment.
“You said that the cash was from the pokies and you had the plastic bags for jewellery,” Judge Geraldine Davison said during sentencing.
The court heard Bais had a lengthy criminal history, including supplying marijuana to her 15-year-old daughter and possessing methamphetamine and fantasy.
Judge Davison said there was a level of sophistication to Bais’ drug-dealing operation.
She sentenced Bais on March 3 to four years, with a non-parole period of two years and two months.
The sentence was backdated to December 21.
Caleb Hira
Tick lists revealed Caleb Joseph Taare Hira, 37, was living the “high life” before his plans to take over a thriving drug dealing business unravelled.
The Adelaide District Court heard Hira was stopped by police in Port Lincoln on November 13, 2020 were they found two plastic bags in Hira’s pants containing 8.41g of methamphetamine.
The court heard the value of the methamphetamine was estimated between $3000 to $8000.
Police then searched Hira’s house and found a homemade taser, multiple tick lists, digital scales and a mobile phone.
“Messages on your phone from one Alyce Sharp indicated that you were going to be taking over her drug business,” Judge Barrett said.
The court heard messages revealed Hira had been trading since June 2020.
The Port Lincoln father-of-ten pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.
Judge Barrett sentenced Hira on March 29 to four years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and 10 months.
The sentence was backdated to May 22, 2021.
Danika Karotos
Beautician Danika Karotos, 29, turned to an illegal side hustle after her business collapsed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Adelaide District Court heard police found 31.11g of mixed methamphetamine and 1.23kg of GHB during a raid of an Edwardstown property on August 6, 2020.
The methamphetamine was valued between $8000 and up to $31,000 if sold in points and the fantasy was valued at up to $3000.
Police also found digital scales, numerous plastic resealable bags, three mobile phones, a vacuum sealing machine and a CCTV system.
Jessica Houlahan, for the prosecution, told the court there was “significant element of commerciality” in Karotos’ business and she was trading for profit.
“In the main bedroom, police located $2770 cash and in the same drawer a tick list which had nine different names on it in the bedside table drawers with the cash,” she said.
“Adding up the amounts on the tick list, there is about $25,000 recorded.”
Karotos pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
Judge Timothy Heffernan will sentence Karotos in July.
Erin Clark and Steven Gonos
A new mother’s life was spiralling out of control when she was caught by police tipping out fantasy in efforts to conceal her secret business.
Erin Allanah Clark, 38, was dealing drugs alongside her partner at the time, Steven Anthony Gonos, 33, to fund their habits.
The Adelaide District Court heard Clark was caught with 39.7g of GHB, also known as fantasy, in April, 2019 at Seaton.
The value of the drug was $200.
The court heard text messages on Clark’s phone revealed “active dealing” and indicated she was dealing as far back as August 8, 2018.
“The tick lists that are found on that phone show that she was owed some not insignificant amounts of money,” the prosecutor said.
“She was motivated, to some extent, by profit.”
Clark, of Mitchell Park, and Gonos, of Seaton, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, arising from a charge in December, 2018.
The court heard Clark, who grew up between Port Lincoln and Adelaide, had her drug use escalate and began selling to fund her addiction.
“Her life was spiralling out of control,” Mr Graham said.
Mr Graham said Clark, who is a mother-of-three, was dealing to fund her ongoing addiction and combined forces with Gonos, who was also a drug user.
Judge Burnett sentenced Clark on April 14 to three years and three months, with a non-parole period of 20 months.
Due to Clark’s rehabilitation commitment, the sentence was suspended on a $500, three-year good behaviour bond, with supervision for 18-months.
Gonos will appear in the court in May for sentencing submissions.
Jordan Harley
Former monk Jordan Harley, 27, strayed from his life of spirituality after he got hooked on methamphetamine.
The Adelaide District Court heard police stopped Harley while he was driving and noticed a strong smell of marijuana on September 28, 2020 at Northfield.
Police searched the car and found 80g of marijuana, 527g of GHB, also known as fantasy, 33g of magic mushrooms and marijuana brownies.
They also found drug paraphernalia and tick lists.
Harley’s phone was analysed and drug dealing text messages were found.
“You were actively engaged in the business of selling drugs, including cannabis, fantasy, MDMA, methamphetamine and magic mushrooms for a period of approximately six months,” Judge Jane Schammer said during sentencing.
Police noticed Harley riding a bike with no helmet on April 16, 2021 at Brompton.
When they approached him he ran away.
Police searched Harley’s backpack and found 1.9g of methamphetamine and 157g of fantasy.
Harley, of Brompton, pleaded guilty to six counts of drug trafficking.
The court heard Harley began using drugs from a young age and dealt to fund his habit before he became involved with the Hare Krishna movement in 2014.
Judge Schammer sentenced Harley on March 10 to four years and three months jail, with a non-parole period of 18 months.
The sentence was backdated to April 16, 2021.
Wade Simpson
A man who sold thousands of dollars of meth to an undercover police officer wants to reform from his old life and be a good father.
Wade Simpson, 39, was on a downward spiral after his relationship ended and he started selling drugs to support his own habit.
The Adelaide District Court heard Simpson was introduced to the undercover police officer by a fellow drug dealer in 2020.
Simpson attended a Riverland shopping centre on June 26, 2020 and sold 0.45g of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer for $250.
Simpson then sold 3.45g to the undercover police officer for $1500 the next day.
He also sold 3.26g of meth for $1400 on July 9, 2020 and 0.5g for $200 on August 5, 2020.
“Police located a mobile phone containing text messages consistent with trafficking in methamphetamine,” Judge Adam Kimber said during sentencing.
Police found 6.7g of methamphetamine in his pocket, as well as tick lists, resealable bags, 1.3g of methamphetamine and $2300 in a search of his home.
Simpson’s life quickly became a “downward spiral”, losing his job in the mining industry and using methamphetamine every day.
“Methamphetamine is a drug which causes enormous harm in our community,” Judge Kimber said.
“You were able to access and were prepared to sell significant amounts of methamphetamine.
“You were obviously trusted by whomever provided the drugs to you.”
Simpson, of Renmark, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple counts of drug trafficking.
Judge Kimber sentenced Simpson on January 27 to two years and 11 months’ jail, with a non-parole period of two years and five months.
Judge Kimber ordered the sentence to be served on home detention.
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