AN0M arrest-accused Darcy Starr allegedly made $2m in meth for Comanchero bikies, court told
An alleged drug trafficker for bikies has faced court after being caught up in the latest AN0M sting, with a family member’s life savings offered up for bail.
The first man arrested as part of the second wave of AN0M raids has pleaded guilty to all counts against him.
On Monday, Terry James Bunker, 43, pleaded guilty to six counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and one count of knowingly engaging in money laundering.
A court previously heard he was the “general manager” of a criminal syndicate involving millions of dollars.
The court heard the offences occurred across various dates from April 2020 until June 2021.
The court heard the offences related to quantities of cannabis and cocaine alongside dealing in tainted funds in the amount of $169,925.
Mr Bunker, of Angle Vale, was remanded on continuing bail to return to court in February next year.
Mr Bunker was among dozens of people arrested under SA’s AN0M raids who faced court on Monday.
Those facing charges under Operation Ironside 3.0 were able to enter guilty pleas to obtain the maximum sentencing discount.
Darcy Starr
A northern suburbs family man was allegedly manufacturing millions of dollars worth of meth for high-ranking Comanchero bikies, while “giving instructions” to other AN0M users about how best to make their own, a court heard.
Darcy Starr, 47, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court via video link on Monday, applying for home detention bail to reside at his Burton property with his daughter and wife of 30 years.
Mr Starr is yet to enter pleas to multiple counts of manufacturing a large commercial quantity of drugs and possessing instructions to make drugs.
Prosecution told Magistrate John Clover they were opposed to bail, saying the meth Mr Starr allegedly manufactured had a street value of more than $2m.
“In relation to the current matter, the accused is alleged to have manufactured methamphetamine for OMCG members - specifically high-ranking members of the SA Comanchero Outlaw Motorcycle Club,” they said.
“The alleged offending involves a total combined weight of approximately 3.56kg. This amount of methamphetamine would have a street value between $1m to $2.1m.
“This matter also involves giving instructions on how to manufacture methamphetamine ... involving the encrypted AN0M devices.”
Andrew Ey, for Mr Starr, told the court his client’s sister was prepared to offer her “significant life savings” to act as a bail guarantor.
Mr Clover ordered a home detention bail inquiry report, and remanded Mr Starr in custody to return to court on Friday.
Suppressed man
An aspiring lawyer accused of being an “essential player” of a state-wide drug syndicate has been granted bail - but prosecutors are set to mount their case in a Supreme Court review.
The man, whose identity is suppressed, has been charged with 71 criminal offences including large commercial drug trafficking and money laundering, and was allegedly at the “apex” of one of SA’s biggest drug rings.
On Monday, opposing the northern suburbs man’s bail application, prosecutor Joshua Swift said the man was first arrested in 2021 as part of the state’s inaugural Operation Ironside busts.
A truck, allegedly driven by the man’s co-accused, was intercepted by police north of Adelaide, which resulted in the seizure of 50kg of methamphetamine.
The meth, the court heard, had been concealed in a “pallet”.
Mr Swift further alleged that, after learning of his own potential arrest, the man made multiple attempts to flee the country - communicating with other AN0M users about “going overseas for a while until things clear up a bit”.
It’s alleged the man flew overseas but just a few months later was arrested in a “small town” in South Australia - with prosecution still unable to determine “how the defendant re-entered Australia”.
Following his more recent arrest as part of the state’s October Operation Ironside 3.0 bust, the man was originally denied bail.
Defence counsel said client had begun undertaking a law degree, the court heard.
His family, it was submitted, were prepared to offer “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in cash sureties if he were to be released on home detention bail.
Opposing the application, Mr Swift alleged there was a “real risk” of absconding, given the man’s prior flight risks.
Magistrate Ben Sale granted the man home detention bail in the amount of $10,000 but remanded the man in custody pending the outcome of the prosecution’s review.
Suppressed man
A man arrested twice in AN0M raids is seeking bail as his family offers up their home as guarantee, a court has heard.
During a hearing on Monday, the man – who cannot be named – applied for bail for a second time before Magistrate Ben Sale.
David Edwardson KC for the man, aged in his 30s, submitted a “substantial” cash surety was being offered to the court, while his grandparents and mother were willing to offer up their homes as guarantees.
If the man breached his bail, the court heard it would leave people close to him “destitute” and “homeless”.
Mr Sale said, in response to concerns raised by prosecutors into the equity of one of the mortgaged homes, that the offer showed a “substantial faith” in the man’s compliance on bail.
The court heard while on bail for prior Operation Ironside-related allegations, the man had been “perfect” in complying with his strict bail.
Prosecutors alleged the 40 additional drug trafficking charges laid against the man during his second arrest could increase the risk he would abscond.
Mr Sale ordered a second home detention report, and remanded the man in custody until next month.
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Originally published as AN0M arrest-accused Darcy Starr allegedly made $2m in meth for Comanchero bikies, court told
