Michael Glynatsis, 50, jailed for drug supply operation at his Speers Point home

A Lake Macquarie man has been found to be “running the show” in a backyard drug operation which welcomed customers right to their doorstep before police swooped.

Michael Glynatsis was jailed at Newcastle District Court on Tuesday. Supplied Amy Ziniak

A Lake Macquarie man was seen to be “running the show” of a backyard drug operation which netted thousands of dollars worth of drugs when police swooped.

The court heard Michael Glynatsis sourced large amounts from up-line suppliers and was responsible for the financial management when he and his then partner Amanda Long ran the drug operation from their Speers Point home.

But while the 50-year-old was seen as the primary offender, the court heard he had taken “amateurish” steps to avoid detection before his eventual arrest on December 8, 2022, when police raided the Quarry Rd home.

Officers searched the premises with help from the Dog Detection Squad where they discovered mobile phones, a cash counter, and a yellow diary containing names, quantities and prices of drugs.

But the biggest haul was the scores of drugs found all over the house, including in the lounge room, kitchen and outside the property.

Glynatsis and his then partner Amanda Long were running a drug operation from their Speers Point home. Istock.

That included 55 bottles containing almost 27kg of 1,4 Butanediol and over 30 grams of Gamma Butyrolactone - both precursors of the party drug GHB - as well as eight grams of methamphetamine and cash.

A forensic analysis of the pair’s phone also showed various communications between September and December 2022 where they had agreed to supply almost 200 grams of meth and more than 11 litres of 1,4 Butanediol.

Police facts said while in custody Glynatsis also rang Long on a number of occasions and discussed ‘customers’ and money owing for drugs, all while being recorded by correctives services.

Court documents also said Long followed instructions to post ‘portraits’ - known as strips of buprenophrine - to an address in Queensland, which were eventually returned to sender.

Glynatsis pleaded guilty to drug supply, including a large commercial quantity, while charges of supply, attempted supply, dealing with the proceeds of crime and possession of an extendable baton were taken into account.

In Newcastle District Court on Tuesday, Glynatsis’ defence barrister William Hussey cited abuse trauma of his client at a young age and heavy substance abuse could be a “credible and appropriate” explanation as to why he had became involved.

Police swooped on the Speers Point home and found a haul of drugs. Istock.

“(There’s) a direct interplay with substance use and with his offending,” Mr Hussey said.

He also told the court while the father-of-two was a little more involved than his former partner, Long was also a willing participant as opposed to being a “ground minion” of what he described as a fairly “unsophisticated” operation.

“Quantities are serious but otherwise it’s a fairly rudimentary enterprise,” he said.

But the Crown solicitor argued Glynatsis was simply not sharing a stash with friends, he was using his house as an operation with a level of organisation that went beyond street level.

Judge Roy Ellis revealed Glynatsis was on community correction orders (CCOs) at the time of his arrest and agreed it was clear he was the primary offender.

“His partner voluntarily assisted him in the enterprise but he sourced the large quantities from up-line suppliers,” he said.

He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years with a non-parole period of three years and nine months.

Long was arrested some four months after Glynatsis at a Cardiff address last year.

She pleaded guilty to a supplying large commercial quantities of drugs, drug supply and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

She was jailed for five-and-a-half years with a non-parole period of two years and nine months in May.