Matthew Raymond Hill was dressed in a coloured t-shirt as he was led into the dock of Tamworth Local Court on Monday charged with four drug-related offences.

The 33-year-old businessman is the fourth person charged as part of Strike Force Kotzur – a secret undercover operation by Oxley detectives to dismantle an alleged drug supply ring operating in Tamworth.

According to court documents, Hill is accused of supplying 14g of the drug cocaine in the Tamworth area between September 27 and November 17, last year.

If convicted, Hill faces a maximum of 15 years behind bars, in what the prosecution claims is “a strong Crown case”.

Hill is also accused of possessing cocaine and self-administering it on two occasions last year after police surveillance allegedly caught him consuming the prohibited drug in Calala.

He was arrested after handing himself into Tamworth Police Station on Monday morning.

Prosecutor Sergeant Cynthia Donovan opposed Hill’s bid for release arguing there were clear bail concerns of “commission of further offences, and the protection of the community” was needed. She submitted the maximum penalty meant failing to appear was also a risk.

Solicitor Greg Birtles argued it wasn’t a strong prosecution case because “he’s not arrested with any drugs in his possession”, rather police were relying on a deeming provision “alleging sometime in the past he had x-amount of drugs”.

“It’s the situation … Mr Hill is alleged to have gone there and alleged to have purchased drugs,” he said.

The court heard Hill had a limited record with one previous drug possession matter on his record.

“The principle who they targeted is bail refused,” Mr Birtles said, arguing the risk of further offending had been eliminated.

“There is no continuation … the operation is at an end.”

The court heard Hill was caring for a sick family member, had property, business and family ties to Tamworth, and was the owner/operator of a business that had “a number of clients booked up”.

Mr Birtles argued against a curfew for his client because of 24/7 callouts for work, but magistrate Julie Soars imposed one, allowing for emergencies for clients only.

Ms Soars said given Hill’s “limited record, his strong ties to the community … the risks identified by the prosecution can be ameliorated to an acceptable level”.

She ordered Hill to forfeit $10,000 in surety, report daily to police, remain under a 8pm-6am curfew and is prohibited from consuming alcohol or taking drugs.

The case returns to court in May.