The Advertiser
Published on 14th August 2002
Fantasy haul lands brothers
in court
TWO sons of a prominent eastern suburbs family appeared
in court yesterday charged over one of Australia's biggest
hauls of the designer drug, "Fantasy".
Adam and Mark Lawrence appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates
Court in connection with 100 litres of the illegal drug.
The largest previous haul of the drug in South Australia
was 1.3 litres.
It is alleged the brothers – sons of businessman
Bob Lawrence of Unley Park – and another man,
Mario Trevor McDonagh, took part in the sale of the
drug between August 2 and September 12. They allegedly
received $60,000 between them for their roles in the
sale. Prosecutor Geraldine Davidson told Magistrate
Richard Brown the men were arrested as part of a major
police operation.
Deputy Commissioner John White said after the operation:
"We believe this is the largest seizure of Fantasy
ever in Australia."
Mark Lawrence, 27, of Richmond, was granted bail yesterday
when his lawyer, Michael Barnett, told the court his
role in the offending was minor compared to that of
his brother, Adam, and Mr McDonagh. However, Ms Davidson
appealed Mr Brown's decision to the Supreme Court and
the bail application will be reheard next week.Mr Brown
ordered home detention bail reports for Adam Lawrence,
31, of Belair, and Mr McDonagh, 30. .
They have been charged with three counts of taking
part in the sale of a prohibited substance. Mark Lawrence
has been charged with two of the same counts. Ms Davidson
said the allegations against the three men were serious
and if convicted they could be fined a maximum of $500,000
or be imprisoned for life. The court was told Mr Mark
Lawrence received a phone call in August relating to
the sale of the drug. Mr Adam Lawrence and Mr McDonagh
then allegedly organised for the sale of the drug in
a Mile End car park.
Ms Davidson said the drug was sold twice in 25 litre
lots in August and then on Thursday 50 litres was sold.
She said the source of the drug has not been found and
if the men were released on bail there was a chance
they could hamper investigations. Tim Dibden, for Adam
Lawrence, said the $60,000 the men received for the
drug was a small amount in terms of drug trafficking.
The three men have been ordered to answer the charges
in November. Deputy Commissioner White said the seizure
prevented about 20,000 doses of Fantasy hitting the
streets.
"That will make a very significant impact on the
availability of this drug," he said.
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