Adam Carnevale: Dubbo dealer sentenced for cannabis supply

A Dubbo businessman who used his panel beating shop as a front for a drug dealing business has been sentenced for selling 56kg of cannabis.

A former Dubbo panel beater did 12 drug deals totalling $372,500 with an undercover police officer, a court has heard.

Adam Daniel Carnevale was handed a three year and nine month jail term after he pleaded guilty to supplying 56.5kg of cannabis and dealing with $416,500 in proceeds of crime between July 2018 and March 2019.

Dubbo dope dealer Adam Carnevale. Picture: Facebook

During that period police, who formed Strike Force Bato, watched and listened as the 45-year-old dealt drugs out of his Pro-Fab smash repairs shop in Johnson Street.

According to court documents, Dubbo builder Caine Rootes was among the dealers who supplied cannabis to Carnevale in pound amounts for about $4000.

Carnevale sold the cannabis to his apprentice and various street-level dealers.

In conversations intercepted by police, Carnevale and his customers used a system of coded language to refer to their drug deals and avoid detection.

Carnevale and customers regularly mentioned “calling in for a beer” at the smash repair shop and “picking up parts”, court documents revealed.

An undercover police officer purchased almost 39.5kg of cannabis from Carnevale 12 times during the top secret investigation.

The V8 Supercar police seized from Adam Carnevale. Picture: NSW Police

When one deal went down, Carnevale told the undercover cop that in the past 10 years, there were four in which he did not sell cannabis.

Police said Carnevale tried to conceal his crimes by wearing gloves when dealing with bulk amounts of cannabis, refusing to deliver it to customers and using chemicals to destroy packaging the drug came in.

When Carnevale was arrested in April 2019, he was carrying $3760 which he said was part savings, part money from an insurance claim. Police also found $6000 in the centre console of Carnevale’s vehicle.

He told police a V8 Supercar seized from his business was purchased for $75,000 and had been paid off.

When Carnevale finally confessed, he said he sold the drugs to pay off credit cards and bills.

Adam Carnevale was arrested outside his shop in North Dubbo. Picture: NSW Police

Judge Nanette Williams said Carnevale was a skilled tradesmen who had the continued support of his partner Tracey Gould and his parents.

“I note that the commercial quantity of cannabis is 25kg and here we have an amount that is more than twice that amount,” Judge Williams said.

“(Carnevale) was in many ways a middleman.

“He used his lawful business as a front for what could only be considered to be a well established business of supplying cannabis.”

Judge Williams convicted Carnevale and handed him a 40 per cent sentencing discount for his early guilty plea and other reasons that cannot be published for legal reasons.

Carnevale will become eligible for parole on June 17 next year.

Adam Carnavale has been sentenced for drug dealing. Picture: Jedd Manning/Western Aerial Productions

The cases of other members of the drug dealing syndicate Carnevale was part of remain before the courts.

Caine Rootes is yet to be sentenced after pleading guilty to cocaine and cannabis supply charges and dealing with $420,000 in proceeds of crime.

Cassilis man Michael Anderson is also yet to be sentenced after pleading guilty to two drug supply charges and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Carnevale’s partner Tracey Gould has pleaded not guilty to knowingly dealing with proceeds of crimes and knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug. She will stand trial in May.

Jeffrey Mears admitted he transported cannabis from the Hunter Valley to Dubbo for Caine Rootes to sell. He was convicted, sentenced to three years and nine months in jail and will become eligible for parole in December.