Woolgoolga football player Sione Fangupo granted bail over drug supply, steroids, cocaine

Four months after a raid on a Woolgoolga property allegedly uncovered more than 1500 MDMA tablets, steroids and cocaine, a collective effort has kept a local footballer out of prison as the case unfolds.

The Supreme Court of NSW has granted bail to semi-professional Woolgoolga football player and Woolgoolga resident Sione Fangupo on Thursday.

Four months after a raid on a Woolgoolga property allegedly uncovered more than 1500 MDMA tablets, steroids and cocaine, a collective effort has kept Sione Fangupo, 28, out of prison as the case unfolds.

Fangupo’s football club, a fencing employer and his family and friends have united by submitting supporting documents and a $20,000 bail surety in a successful Supreme Court bail review led by defence solicitor Scott Carter.

The Crown prosecutor Ben Eyde told the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday that, during the raid in June, two bedrooms with “male effects” were searched.

In the first room which was said to be Sione Fangupo’s room: eight MDMA tablets, 0.2gms of cocaine and three vials of steroids were allegedly uncovered.

Woolgoolga rugby player Sione Fangupo is charged with three counts of possessing a prohibited drug and one count of supplying a prohibited drug more than a commercial quantity.

The court heard police further located bags containing 1500 tablets of MDMA in the second bedroom with “male effects” at the rear of the house.

Mr Eyde revealed to the court Fangupo’s brother Solomone Fangupo, a co-accused, was linked to the bags via DNA analysis — a fingerprint, however there had been no admissions as to who owned the drugs.

Woolgoolga rugby player Sione Fangupo has been release from detention after a successful Supreme Court bail application on Thursday.

The Crown argued against the bail review citing a history of domestic violence but conceded he had no prior drug-related offences before Justice Jeremy Kirk granted him bail.

He is charged with three counts of possessing a prohibited drug and one count of supplying a prohibited drug more than a commercial quantity.

His bail-refused brother Solomone Fangupo is charged with large scale drug supply, failing to comply with digital evidence access order direction, two counts of possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit, dealing with property the proceeds of crime, possessing a prohibited drug and supplying a prohibited drug less than commercial quantity.

Both men have not entered pleas and return to Coffs Harbour Local Court on October 14.

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