Operation Foster: Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams, Todd William Roberts and Joseph Dean Ireland sentenced after suburban drug ring busted

After an overseas package containing drugs was intercepted by ABF, an undercover operation was commenced. Now the dealers involved have learnt their fate.

Three men have learnt their fates for a criminal syndicate, with only one escaping jail after only wanting to seem “cool” to the 253km/h hoon who got his car crushed.

Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams, 22, Todd William Roberts, 28, and Joseph Dean Ireland, 23, entangled themselves in a large-scale drug enterprise.

Detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch seized ecstasy tablets, fantasy, cocaine, cannabis and firearms as a result of Operation Foster which ran between January and June 2023.

A firearm seized during the raid. Photo: Facebook

MDMA tablets seized during the police raids. Picture: SA Police

“The operation itself was large, labour intensive of police in relation to drugs that are well known to be very harmful in the community,” a prosecutor previously told the court.

During sentencing on Wednesday, the District Court heard Australian Border Force intercepted a package front the UK in 2022 which contained 500 Xanax tablets.

They also intercepted another package containing 52 Xanax tablets which they substituted for sugar tablets.
Power-Williams picked up both packages and admitted to police he was selling the tablets.
Police searched a Smithfield Plains property in January 2023 where they found over 3kg of fantasy and 494g of ecstasy.

They obtained warrants for Power-Williams’ phone and Operation Foster commenced.

Power-Williams was caught selling cocaine and ecstasy multiple times to undercover police officers.

Ireland’s Angle Vale home was searched in May 2023 where they found 40.2g of fantasy, 52g of cannabis and 10g of methamphetamine.

Police also found a sawn-off shotgun and Ireland was caught selling ecstasy and cocaine to undercover police officers on multiple occasions.

Roberts was only involved in the drug operation on one occasion when he was there to get money back for his car from Power-Williams and he wanted to “seem cool”.

The court heard Power-Williams took his $25,000 black ute for a test drive but it ended up being impounded and crushed after he was caught driving at an eye-watering speed.

Power-Williams was jailed last year for driving dangerously after reaching 253km/h in a 110km/h zone on the North-South Motorway at Waterloo Corner.

Tarelle Power-Williams was jailed for drug trafficking. Picture: Supplied

Joseph Ireland was also jailed. Photo: Facebook

Todd Roberts was handed a suspended sentence. Photo: Facebook

Power-Williams, of Elizabeth Grove, and Ireland, of Angle Vale, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of drug trafficking, while Ireland also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm.

Roberts, of Paralowie, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking cocaine.

Adding on to his previous sentence, Judge Joana Fuller sentenced Power-Williams to eight years and three months jail, with a non-parole period of five years.

Ireland was sentenced to seven years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of four years and nine months.

Roberts was sentenced to one year and five months jail, with an non-parole period of one year and two months.

Due to Roberts’ minimal role in the operation and his time in custody, the sentence was suspended on a $50, two year good behaviour bond.

Judge Fuller told Ireland and Power-Williams, who both have drug addictions, that she hopes they turn their lives around when they get out of jail.

“Because you don’t want to cycle back through jail until your old men, in your 50s and 60s,” she said.

Originally published as Operation Foster: Tarelle Lewis Charles Power-Williams, Todd William Roberts and Joseph Dean Ireland sentenced after suburban drug ring busted