Ironside man jailed for over $647,000 in his bedroom

A judge said it was rare to see so much money involved in the crime, after a man was caught with an eye-watering sum and other suspicious items.

A man arrested as part of Operation Ironside has been sentenced for possessing more than $640,000 in cash in a bedroom at his home.

The man, who cannot be identified due to suppression orders, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the cash which was discovered along with equipment used to grow cannabis hydroponically on June 7, 2021.

On that day police across Australia raided properties linked to the encrypted AN0M app, which was being secretly monitored by law enforcement authorities in Australia and the US.

In the man’s bedroom police found $647,000 in $50 and $100 notes bundled in bricks.

The bricks of cash were themselves stored in two shopping bags.

The man was charged with the lesser offence of illegal possession, which has a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Other Ironside accused in similar positions have been charged with money laundering which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

$1.8 million cash seized during Operation Ironside South Australian arrests. Picture: Brenton Edwards

On Friday Magistrate John Wells said the man’s crime was among the most serious examples of the charge.

“It is rare that the subject of this charge is such a significant amount of money,” he said.

“The charge normally involves an accused caught with stolen credit cards, or found with a room of dodgy electrical goods, or located on a bicycle stolen shortly beforehand.

“It is normally a low-level dishonesty charge.”

Mr Wells said he considered a starting point of jail near the maximum two years to be appropriate.

During sentencing submissions the prosecution told Mr Wells the only conclusion to be drawn was the money was the product of drug trafficking or similar conduct.

Taylor Johanson, for the man, did not make any submissions as to the origin of the money and said the guilty plea was entered because the man could not refute the evidence against him.

Mr Wells accepted the prosecution argument that the money was the product of other illegal activity, particularly drug trafficking.

Mr Wells said he needed to send a clear message to the community that possessing significant amounts of cash linked to other crimes was not acceptable.

He reduced a total sentence of one year and seven months in prison to 11 months and two weeks because of the man’s early guilty plea.

The man spent 13 months and eight days in custody before being released on home detention bail late last year.

With time already spent in prison, the man has already completed his sentence.

Originally published as Ironside man jailed for over $647,000 in his bedroom