Alleged head of interstate cannabis syndicate offered co-accused $140k to take the rap for $1.5m drug bust

The alleged head of a multimillion-dollar interstate cannabis syndicate offered a co-accused $140k to take the wrap for a 160kg drug bust, Ironside prosecutors claim

The alleged mastermind of a multimillion-dollar cannabis syndicate tried to bribe a co-accused to take the fall for a 160kg drug bust over the ­encrypted AN0M app, a court has heard.

The accused, whose name has been suppressed to protect upcoming trials, also allegedly discussed putting another associate “six-feet-under” if he “f--ked up”.

Earlier this month the man asked to have his electronic monitoring conditions removed from his bail so he could work as a plumber’s ­assistant.

Magistrate John Wells, who has been presiding over Operation Ironside matters, granted the order and relaxed the man’s bail.

However, the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the order to the Supreme Court. Last week, Justice Sandi McDonald overturned Mr Wells’ ruling and kept the man on strict home detention.

Police released pictures of 160kg of cannabis found in the western suburbs in July 2020. Picture: SA Police

During submissions prosecutors alleged the man was the “head of a large and sophisticated cannabis trafficking syndicate, which derived significant profits, namely in the amount of millions of ­dollars from the trafficking of large quantities of cannabis ­interstate”.

“The man’s role has been otherwise characterised by the prosecution in this case as a central figure in which the co-accused who have been charged in fact did not have ­direct contact with each other but only through the respondent.

The man was initially charged with one count of trafficking 160kg of cannabis ­following a bust in the eastern suburbs in July 2020.

Police released pictures of 160kg of cannabis found in the western suburbs in July 2020. Picture: SA Police.

After the AN0M platform was shut down in June 2021 and millions of messages intercepted by police began to be analysed, he was charged with eight more counts of trafficking large commercial quantities of cannabis.

He was further charged with two counts of money laundering and trying to ­induce a witness to give false evidence.

The prosecutor told the ­Supreme Court that the man allegedly offered $140,000 to one of his co-accused to take the fall for the 160kg drug bust.

Prosecutors also said that in the months after the July raid, the man had become “increasingly hostile” towards an ­associate who he blamed for the raid.

Justice McDonald said that the man was unaware that it was not his associate who had prompted the raid but the “largest police operation in Australian history”.

Some of the AN0M messages referred to by prosecutors, allege the man told another associate to source a pistol with a silencer and saying “if he f--ks up he will be six feet under”.

Originally published as Alleged head of interstate cannabis syndicate offered co-accused $140k to take the rap for $1.5m drug bust