Dean Farrant is being held in custody in Lithgow Correctional Centre and appeared in Tamworth Local Court accused of supplying more than 20kg of cannabis.

Farrant, 46, entered pleas of guilty to charges of supplying more than an indictable quantity of cannabis, supplying more than indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, namely methamphetamine, and knowingly dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime.

DPP solicitor Cat McKay said a charge of participating in a criminal group would be withdrawn on the basis of the guilty pleas.

“On the pleas of guilty to sequence one to three, you are committed to the district court,” magistrate Julie Soars said, adjourning the case to next year.

“I’ll mark you as ‘bail not applied for, refused’.”

Barrister Bruce Donnelly asked for a full sentencing assessment report and a psychological report to be prepared in custody, ahead of sentencing.

Farrant is one of several men arrested as part of Strike Force Boikanumba – a secret sting by Oxley police.

The undercover operation saw Farrant arrested on February 5, when local police swooped in Freeman’s Waterhole, near the Central Coast. On the same day, a series of raids were carried out on homes in Oxley Vale, Westdale, Coledale, Quipolly and Caroona. 

Paul Andrew Allan was arrested with Farrant and also appeared in Tamworth court this week, where he told the court he was sacking his legal representation.

Agent solicitor Garry Johnston said the case “is to proceed via waiver of committal” to trial to the district court.

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Allan was committed for trial on four charges, including supplying more than a commercial quantity of drugs, two other indictable quantity of drug supply charges, and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. 

A charge of knowingly participating in a criminal group was withdrawn. The court heard there was “quite a significant brief” of evidence, with Ms Soars formally committing Allan for trial next year.

Allan, who is being held in custody in a Mid North Coast prison, appeared via video link in court, where family members were seated in the back of the court.

He tried to lodge a fresh bid for bail, which had been refused in September in the same court.

“My circumstances have changed, miss, I’ve got into a rehab in Moree,” he said.

Mr Johnston told the court he was not instructed in any bail application by the principal solicitor, and “would be grossly overstepping my mark” to bring on the bail bid after Allan said: “He’s [the solicitor] getting sacked”.

Allan told the court it had “been 10 months and one week, that’s a long time to adjourn it”, saying, “I want to go forward it today”.

The court heard Allan has a bail application in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney in February, but the local court did not have the power to determine a fresh application after he had been committed to the district court.

“I’m told I’m functus,” Ms Soars said, adjourning the case, and urging Allan to make a bail application to the district court.

Several other co-accused arrested in the same police operation also appeared in court but did not enter pleas. Their charges were adjourned until next year for negotiations. 

They each remain on bail.