Michael Anderson: Cassilis drug dealer to be sentenced

A man caught running a drug dealing operation from his rural property told police he got his money from breeding birds and cattle.

Michael Paul Anderson leaves Dubbo Local Court after his case was adjourned. Picture: Ryan Young

A drug dealing dad whose gear ended up in the possession of an undercover cop helped organise the delivery of cannabis and cocaine to men in Dubbo, who are now behind bars.

Michael Paul Anderson, 49, faced Dubbo District Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty to three counts of prohibited drug supply and one count of knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.

According to court documents, Anderson, who resides on a 110 acre property at Cassilis near Merriwa, supplied about 37kg of cannabis to Dubbo man Caine Rootes.

Cannabis police found at Dunedoo, in the back of a vehicle driven by drug mule Jeffrey Mears. Picture: NSW Police

The drug was supplied on three occasions between November 2018 and March 2019.

Anderson also supplied about 17 grams of cocaine to Rootes who used it to party at a wedding.

The cannabis Anderson supplied to Rootes was transported to Dubbo by Cessnock drug mule Jeffrey Mears, the documents state.

After Rootes picked up the weed deliveries, he took the supplies to Pro-Fab Smash Repairs where panel beater Adam Carnevale sold it to various people, including an undercover cop.

Phone taps, conducted by a dedicated Strike Force formed to smash the drug syndicate, uncovered multiple conversations between Rootes and Anderson in which the pair discussed the purchase and delivery of drugs to Dubbo.

Anderson’s fingerprint was found on a plastic bag supplied to undercover cop and when police raided his property in March 2019, they found bags used to store the cannabis in the kitchen, shed and outside the house.

In a statement of agreed facts tendered in court, it emerged Anderson had been pulled up by police a month before his arrest.

Michael Paul Anderson leaves Dubbo Local Court after his case was adjourned. Picture: Ryan Young

When police searched the vehicle en route to Dubbo, $12,000 in cash was found which Anderson said was to be used to pay for the trade-in of a trail bike.

Between June 2018 and March 2019 court documents revealed Anderson, a father of six, spent more than $35,000 at a Coolah hardware store and shortly before his arrest he made a $2000 down payment on a pump.

After Anderson was arrested he told police he got his income from breeding birds and cattle.

Anderson said his wife was a cleaner at the local school and they also received childcare payments from the government.

Despite phone taps tracing the location of calls made to Rootes to organise drug deals, Anderson denied using payphones in Cassilis, Merriwa or Coolah to contact his customer.

During Anderson’s brief court appearance, Judge Nanette Williams said Carnevale, Mears and Rootes were still in custody and had not been granted bail for their role in the drug dealing operation.

Crown prosecutor Katherine White told the court Anderson had served three-and-a-half months behind bars but was granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Anderson is due to be sentenced in February.

For his role in the drug dealing operation Mears was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail. He will be eligible for parole on December 17.

Carnevale was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail, however he won’t be eligible for parole until June 17 next year.

Rootes has pleaded guilty to a string of offences and is due to be sentenced in February.