Homer Kakalias hit with new drug trafficking charges after AN0M bust
An alleged drug trafficker, arrested as part of Operation Ironside, has been hit with new charges relating to millions of dollars worth of methamphetamine.
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An alleged drug trafficker arrested as part of Operation Ironside has been hit with charges relating to kilograms of meth as detectives continue to review messages retrieved from the encrypted AN0M app.
Homer Kakalias, 42, of Pooraka, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court last week.
On Wednesday, the court heard that Mr Kakalias had recently had more charges laid against him.
A charge sheet released by the Magistrates Court shows Mr Kakalias is alleged to have trafficked at least 2.5kg of methamphetamine between March and May 2021 at Pooraka with a value in the millions of dollars.
He is specifically charged with two counts of trafficking a large commercial quantity of methamphetamine and one count of trafficking a commercial amount of the drug.
Under SA legislation the minimum amount for a charge of trafficking large commercial methamphetamine is a kilogram of the drug, while a commercial quantity is at least 500g.
He has yet to enter a plea to those charges.
It is understood Mr Kakalias’ charges will be joined with those of other accused already in the District Court so they can stand trial together.
Detectives are continuing to lay charges more than two years after Operation Ironside resolution day.
Defendants in some District Court matters have had additional charges laid against while other alleged users of the AN0M devices have been arrested for the first time.
The first trials for Operation Ironside accused are scheduled to being later this year and stretch in 2025 and beyond.
However, it is generally accepted among prosecutors and defence lawyers that those trials will be delayed while legal issues surrounding the app and the larger AFP operation are resolved.
At present, legal challenges to the legality of the app have been unsuccessful.
The SA Court of Appeal is expected to be the first Supreme Court in the country to hear the challenges later this year with a referral to the High Court for a final determination a near inevitability.
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Originally published as Homer Kakalias hit with new drug trafficking charges after AN0M bust
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