PROMINENT personal trainer Mark John McDonald has been refused bail accused of supplying a raft of different drugs including cocaine, ecstasy and steroids in Tamworth.
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The 33-year-old trainer was arrested outside a Tamworth gym late on Friday and fronted the dock of Tamworth Local Court on Monday morning, dressed in his same work clothing.
The Leader can reveal Strike Force Kotzur had been tracking McDonald, who runs his own personal training business, and will allege the undercover operation exposes several drug deals as well as organising numerous supplies.
They claim the undercover operation “showed McDonald was supplying steroids, cocaine, MDMA and methylamphetamine in varying amounts to numerous persons and dealing with large amounts of cash", police facts state.
According to court documents, McDonald is accused of supplying 910 MDMA, or ecstasy, tablets – a commercial quantity of the drug between early-November and December 8 in Calala.
Showed McDonald was supplying steroids, cocaine, MDMA and methylamphetamine in varying amounts to numerous persons and dealing with large amounts of cash.
- police facts
The secret strike force also alleges McDonald supplied or possessed steroids including testosterone, trenbolone – a drug 500 more times anabolic than testosterone, as well as drostanolone and methandienone.
Police will allege McDonald had oral steroids in the backpack he was carrying when he was arrested on Friday.
Detectives also seized almost $1400 from the glovebox of his car as well as his phone at the time.
Following his arrest, they raided two Calala properties on Friday night. Officers will allege they seized $2800 from an envelope in a Galloway Place house and allege McDonald has dealt with almost $7500 in cash which they maintain is the proceeds of his drug supply.
During the raid, police claim they also uncovered several phones in a box in a bedroom, and seized digital scales, a Blackberry, jars with tablets and other substances and a drug ledger in the kitchen.
According to police facts, detectives allege McDonald has supplied 17.89g of cocaine between September 27 and November 22, and located more than 100g of liquid methylamphetamine in screw top containers during two separate searches at the property.
Clomiphene citrate – which is used to treat certain types of cancers and is also known for those taking steroids to counteract side effects; as well as tamoxifen and several other prescribed or restricted substances, were allegedly seized by police.
McDonald is facing 21 drug-related charges, accused of recruiting a woman to take part in the supply of drugs in October during a meeting in Calala, and was also allegedly captured taking cocaine.
On Monday, magistrate Roger Prowse formally refused bail and told McDonald he was likely to see a delay in his matter because “some parts of [the brief] … given some of the allegations”, would take some time to compile and serve on his solicitor.
“Then the ubiquitous and inevitable application [can be made],” he said, adjourning the case to late-January.
There not being an application for bail, it's refused, thanks for coming up.
- Magistrate Roger Prowse
“There not being an application for bail, it's refused, thanks for coming up."
On Saturday morning, McDonald was denied bail after the court found he had not shown cause for release and the protection of the community was needed.
His solicitor had argued McDonald had family and strong community ties and a business, working on average 55 hours-a-week.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
