Zac Sweeney: cafe owner granted bail on cocaine supply charges

A cafe owner accused of dealing cocaine on the side during Sydney’s Covid lockdown was allegedly making $9000 a week selling bags across the city’s southern suburbs.

A Sydney cafe owner was allegedly making $9000 a week as a dial-a-dealer selling cocaine during the city’s Covid lockdown.

Zac Sweeney, 29, has spent the past 10 weeks behind bars on remand charged with commercial drug supply, dealing with crime proceeds, directing a criminal group and not complying with Covid health directions.

He was arrested on July 16 along with five other men following a police investigation into alleged cocaine supply primarily in the Sutherland Shire.

The owner of Cronulla’s newly minted Water’s Edge Cafe made a renewed bid for his release on bail in the Supreme Court on Tuesday after his first application in the local court was denied in July.

Justice Robert Hulme said the Crown would allege Sweeney and his co-accused were selling bags for $250 each, making $9000 net per week.

Zac Sweeney, 29.

“They used various safe houses and, in one instance, a safe car for storage so runners could collect drugs and leave behind proceeds of sales,” Justice Hulme said.

“They used runner phones and on one occasion had four runners on a weekend – this was an organised drug distribution business.”

Sweeney’s barrister Allan Goldsworthy submitted the case was not strong, but conceded it was hard to say one way or another whether it was strong without a full brief of evidence in the case against Sweeney.

Mr Goldsworthy also submitted the onus would be upon the Crown to prove the alleged amount of cocaine exceeded the commercial quantity threshold.

“He is 29 with no criminal history and that is significant, he also has family support and community ties,” Justice Hulme said.

“There is evidence (regarding) mental health issues and that he also owns and operates a cafe in Cronulla, and there would be a financial disaster if it were to close.”

Sweeney was ultimately granted bail to reside with his aunt along with his partner at a Lidcombe address.

The aunt has also put the Lidcombe home up as a security for Sweeney’s compliance with his bail conditions.

Justice Hulme said Sweeney’s lack of criminal history and the time it will likely take to resolve the matter in court were significant factors in granting him bail with suitable conditions.