$53k cash, 42g pure meth: Handyman’s descent into drug dealing

A Sunshine Coast handyman – arrested as part of a police operation targeting bikie gang activity – was busted with $53,000 cash and 42g of pure meth.

Daniel John Enchelmaier faced Brisbane Supreme Court for drug dealing and possessing commercial quantities of meth. Picture: Facebook

A Sunshine Coast handyman has faced sentence for drug dealing on bail after being busted with $53,000 cash and 42g of pure meth.

Daniel John Enchelmaier faced Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday, following his arrest last December as part of a police operation targeting bikie gang activity.

The court heard a search warrant of Enchelmaier’s Sunshine Coast home last March found him in possession of two clipseal bags containing a total of 42.79g of pure methamphetamine in 56.98g of substance.

He was further found in possession of $53,050 in cash, which the court heard had been stored in bundles inside a Rebel shopping bag.

Police also found a small quantity of testosterone and a 10mL vial of the steroid trenbolone.

The court heard Enchelmaier had been a significant drug user at the time, but there was no dispute that the drugs and cash found were part of a “commercial operation”.

Justice Peter Callaghan noted there may have been other individuals involved but, as Enchelmaier refused to give evidence, he would be held responsible for the entire quantity of drugs and cash found.

Enchelmaier spent 25 days in custody before being released on bail – and then committed 11 drug supply offences while on bail.

The court heard he made 10 offers to supply and one actual supply of commercial quantities of cocaine, cannabis, MDMA, and testosterone.

Daniel Enchelmaier’s partner supported him at his Brisbane Supreme Court sentence for supplying drugs and possessing over 40g of methamphetamine.

He was arrested once again last December as part of Operation Victor Albatross targeting bikie gang activity on the Sunshine Coast.

The prosecution did not allege in court at Enchelmaier’s sentence that he had bikie links, only that he was involved in commercial drug supply.

Enchelmaier was originally charged with drug trafficking, but that charge was later dropped.

The court heard Enchelmaier spent a total 391 days in pre-sentence custody waiting to be sentenced, which his defence barrister Matthew Hynes submitted had been particularly onerous due to his back pain.

Mr Hynes said Enchelmaier suffered from serious ongoing back pain issues – which had “pushed him over the edge” into drug addiction.

Justice Callaghan accepted Enchelmaier’s back pain issues were legitimate and documented prior to him becoming “immersed in commercial drug activity”.

He said Enchelmaier had been doing “clean honest hard work” running his own handyman business prior to his offending.

Judge Callaghan said drugs “must have seemed like an easy fix” but had clearly “blighted (his) life since then”.

“Because of the pain and drugs you’ve suffered a lot of stressors … You’ve lost the business, you’ve lost your relationship and the whole thing was a bit of a vicious cycle it would seem.”

Family of Daniel Enchelmaier, who was sentenced in the Brisbane Supreme Court for suppling drugs and possessing over 40g of methamphetamine. Picture: John Gass

Enchelmaier pleaded guilty at sentence to nine counts of supplying a schedule one dangerous drug, two of supplying a schedule two dangerous drug, two of possessing dangerous drugs, and one count each of possessing a schedule three quantity of a schedule one dangerous drug, possessing tainted property, and contravening an order about information stored electronically.

His parents and partner came to court to support him.

Enchelmaier was sentenced to five years in jail for the meth possession, wholly suspended for an operational period of five years.

For the other changes, he received a concurrent three years jail with immediate parole.

His 391 days in pre-sentence custody was taken into account but not formally declared time-served.