Box Hill police find heroin and gun hidden in secret room at Andrew Kane’s home

A drug addict who caused his mother heartache every time he tried and failed to give up heroin, has given her even more grief after police found tens of thousands of dollars, a gun and high-grade heroin hidden at his home in Melbourne’s east.

Andrew Kane, 46, was busted with three bricks of high-grade heroin, a gun and $30,000 cash hidden in a secret room at his eastern suburbs home.

A “functioning” heroin addict caught with more than 1kg of high-purity heroin squirrelled away in a secret room at home has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

Andrew Kane, 46, was sentenced by the County Court last month to eight years’ jail after Box Hill police raided his home and found $30,000 cash, drugs and a gun in June last year.

Three bricks and two smaller packages of high-grade heroin with a purity of up to 85 per cent and weighing more than 1kg was found.

Much of it was stored in a hidden room police found behind a fake wall in Kane’s backyard shed, as was the gun, cash and ammunition, the court heard.

Judge Sandra Davis said the heroin haul was one and a half times what was deemed a “large commercial quantity” by law.

Kane told police during his arrest he smoked up to six grams of the drug a day, and in her submission to the court Judge Davis said Kane’s mum, who he lived with, said he was a functioning drug addict for more than two decades.

“You were still able to function well and provide support and care to her, your sister, and your father,” Judge Davis said.

“Your mother describes helping you detoxify many times and that you went through hell each time. She says you became more depressed and suicidal with every failed attempt.

“You would constantly apologise to her for what you had become.”

Kane told police he was in debt and had agreed to “hold onto” the heroin, drugs, gun and ammunition for some “very dangerous” people, Judge Davis said.

And while she noted Kane was remorseful and had good prospects of rehabilitation, Judge Davis said Kane’s actions needed to be denounced.

She also flagged the maximum sentence for drug trafficking was life in prison.

MORE: TROUBLED TEEN FREED FOLLOWING BRUTAL BUS ATTACK

SHOCKING CAR THEFT WITH BABY INSIDE FAILS TO DETER THIEF

WOMAN WHO KICKED COP IN HEAD WALKS FREE

“The maximum sentence of life imprisonment prescribed for this offence is an important indicator of the seriousness of this kind of offending,” Judge Davis said.

“Your role was an important one, albeit a lesser role.”

Kane also pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered handgun, ammunition and dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

He must serve at least five years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole and was fined $1300.