Andrew Vassallo pleads guilty to supplying drugs at Smithfield

A drug runner who supplied methylamphetamine for an alleged syndicate was given quasi legal advice by a man accused of being the principal of the network, a court has heard.

Andrew Vassallo, 37, pleaded guilty after being charged with participating in a criminal group and supplying a prohibited drug (indictable amount) in Smithfield during October and November 2020 when he supplied 85.2g of meth worth $20,800.

The former glazier was charged on November 18 that year after Strike Force Ouse was formed to investigate the alleged supply of drugs by Daniel Asanovic and associates.

Agreed facts tendered to Parramatta Local Court revealed surveillance installed outside a block of units at Eton St Smithfield showed “customers or buyers attending the units”.

Police allege that Mr Asanovic was recorded on telephone intercepts using “his phone to direct runners, to supply customers with methylamphetamine”.

The court heard Mr Asanovic, who is fighting some of his charges, allegedly received text messages from buyers before he would send a message for a runner to meet the customer, or he would do so himself.

He allegedly set pricing or other aspects of the methylamphetamine supply.

The court heard he would allegedly provide Vassallo, of Smithfield, with advice on avoiding police and would dispense quasi legal advice and reassure him when making supplies.

On November 11, 2020, he allegedly told Vassallo: “You won’t go to gaol, you will just get an ICO (intensive correction order) or something.

“Say that (I) gave (you) the money because he has 30k in his bank account … don’t say anything and let the lawyer talk … there’s 42k.’’

Andrew Vassallo will return to Parramatta Local Court to be sentenced. Picture: John Appleyard

Documents reveal Vassallo assisted in the alleged operation beyond supplying drugs including on October 13, 2020, when Mr Asanovic would phone him and told him to “pay the insurance tomorrow”.

That month, the court heard Mr Asanovic messaged Vassallo and allegedly told him to finalise “the rego paper(work)”.

“Vassallo told Asanovic that it was done and told him it should be in his letterbox”.

On October 24, Mr Asanovic allegedly phoned Vassallo asking if he had acetone at home and urged him to “go to Bunnings now” because he “leaked perfume in the stuff’’. Vassallo agreed to go and the next night they attended the hardware store and bought acetone products.

After his arrest, Vassallo, who lost his job as a glazier about five months before the offences and lives with his mother, denied knowing Mr Asanovic or his alleged alias Daniel Ritter.

He told police he attended units at Eton St Smithfield to visit his friend Mick near his aunt’s house and denied having a Mercedes Benz registered in his name for Mr Asanovic to use, only admitting to a red ute.

Vassallo was due at Parramatta Local Court for sentencing on February 17 but he was excused from attending. The case was adjourned to March 10 so he could undertake a merit program.

Mr Asanovic, who is on bail, returned to Parramatta District Court on February 25.

He was charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), owner/occupier knowingly allow use as drug premises, knowingly direct activities of criminal group, possessing a trafficable quantity of a prohibited drug, dealing with the proceeds of crime less than $100,000, possessing a prohibited drug and supplying a prohibited drug (commercial quantity),

He pleaded not guilty to supplying a prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), possessing a trafficable quantity of a prohibited drug; possessing a prohibited drug and supplying a prohibited drug (commercial quantity).

The matters will return to court October 21 and has been listed for trial on February 20, 2023.

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