Ironside accused Angus James Spurling – charged over industrial scale meth lab – has home detention bail conditions relaxed

A man charged with involvement in a “sophisticated” drug lab uncovered in Operation Ironside wants to travel interstate for work, a court has heard.

A man charged over an industrial scale clandestine methylamphetamine laboratory – one of the largest uncovered by SA Police – connected to the worldwide Ironside sting has had his bail conditions relaxed.

Angus James Spurling, 22, was arrested last year after police raided a property in Morphett Vale in August and appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

He asked the court remove his home detention bail conditions to allow him to travel interstate for work, but prosecutors opposed the bail variation due to the seriousness of the allegations.

“This is the clandestine lab that has been connected to the Ironside arrests,” she said.

“The lab itself is one of the largest uncovered by SA Police in recent times.

“At the time it was raided it was capable of producing 12kg of crude methylamphetamine.

“We are talking about an industrial scale, multimillion-dollar clandestine laboratory … a sophisticated commercial operation.”

The prosecutor alleged Spurling’s involvement included helping to set up a storage unit for the clan lab and purchasing items for the lab including caustic soda.

Angas Spurling outside Adelaide Magistrates Court. He was arrested as part of Operation Ironside in South Australia. Picture: David Mariuz

She said Spurling was captured on CCTV at different times unloading various clan lab items with some or all of his co-accused – Matthew William Collins, Blake Matthew Culbertson and Dylan Stuart. Handwritten notes about manufacturing methylamphetamine were allegedly found in his car in May 2020.

The court heard the lab’s “cook”, Collins, had pleaded guilty over his involvement in the drug lab, while another four accused arrested earlier this month would be joined on the same file.

Spurling is yet to plead to a charge of manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

Gilbert Aitken, for Spurling, said his client had obtained an apprenticeship which required travel to Melbourne and it was “highly likely” the job would “go down the gurgler” if he could not travel.

“This is critical to his continuing employment,” he said.

He said his client had no priors and had not breached his bail.

Magistrate John Wells removed the home detention conditions, but imposed a number of other restrictions including a curfew and $15,000 guarantor but did not approve Spurling’s request to travel interstate. He said if an arrangement could be agreed with prosecutors, interstate travel could be reconsidered later.

Spurling returns to court in August.

In a separate, unrelated, case also listed before Mr Wells on Tuesday, Christo Nickolas was refused release on home detention bail.

Nickolas, 20, of Ascot Park was arrested during the Ironside raids on June 7 and charged with two counts of money laundering.

Prosecutors alleged he transported cash, drugs and weapons in a number of uncharged allegations but was “not merely a courier”.

Instead, they alleged he had a “key role” in a “criminal syndicate”.

Mr Wells refused Nickolas release on bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations, risk of reoffending and the risk of interfering in the ongoing investigation.

Nickolas returns to court later this week.

Originally published as Ironside accused Angus James Spurling – charged over industrial scale meth lab – has home detention bail conditions relaxed