Police allege drug supplier Samarra Pearce found with ice, $240K at Honeysuckle home

A woman who police allege supplied ice around the Hunter and had $240,000 with her during a raid has also been charged over an alleged bushfire fraud.

An alleged drug supplier has faced court after a strike force investigating the movement of ice in the Hunter allegedly found the drug and $240,000 cash in a Honeysuckle home.

Samarra Pearce, 34, was charged by Strike Force Hanging on April 14, a day after the search on the property on Newcastle’s foreshore.

In an earlier statement police said the mother and former bar manager was home when they allegedly located 14 grams of methylamphetamine hidden in a microwave.

Supplied Editorial Samara Pearce leaves Newcastle Court House. Picture: Emily Burley.

They further allege $10,260 cash was found in Pearce’s handbag and $240,250 in a book safe.

The Heatherbrae woman was charged with one count of supplying a prohibited drug and two counts of dealing with the proceeds of crime, as well as possessing a prohibited drug for eight milligrams of prescription opioid buprenorphine allegedly found on her.

Pearce’s bail was continued in Newcastle Local Court on Monday, and she previously entered pleas of not guilty to all of the charges.

Samarra Pearce leaves Newcastle Court House. Picture: Emily Burley.

The court heard she also had an unresolved alleged bushfire fraud still before a magistrate.

Police allege Pearce lied to obtain a $10,000 Small Business Support Grant from Service NSW in April last year.

She has yet to enter a plea to one charge of dishonestly obtaining financial benefit by deception.

Pearce will reappear in court on August 5.

The owner of the Honeysuckle property, Heath Elliot, 36, was not home at the time of the raid but was later charged with 80 drug-related offences including supply and ongoing supply.

Elliot will next appear in Maitland Local Court on August 19.