A former semi-professional rugby union player has been sentenced to four years and 22 days in jail after admitting to trafficking nearly $1 million worth of methamphetamine across the South Australia-New South Wales border.

Tiueti Asi, 33, originally from New Zealand, had amassed a significant debt to drug dealers due to his cocaine addiction. Judge Jane Schammer noted that he was transporting the methamphetamine to clear this debt.

Described as a talented rugby player, the back-row forward appeared in the South Australian District Court earlier in April where he was sentenced.

Asi is set to serve at least two years in prison, as his sentence is retroactively applied starting from his arrest. This early guilty plea means he will be eligible for parole in 2026.

The former rugby star and a father of two, most recently played for the Hunter Wildfires in New South Wales and was named the club’s ‘Wildfire of the Year’ in 2023.

Asi was arrested on September 17, 2024. He was driving a Suzuki Swift along the Princes Highway in Tailem Bend when he was stopped by police officers and searched.

Officers from South Australia Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Branch, the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police with Murray Mallee patrols found that Asi was transporting 8kg of methamphetamine and more than $3000 in cash.

The father of two had been charged with one count of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug, a charge he later pleaded guilty to.

The charge carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

When handing down sentencing, Judge Schammer detailed that Asi was also found to have been carrying three mobile phones and had substances which weighed between 991 and 995g.

‘You had incurred a substantial debt to drug dealers arising from your previous addiction to cocaine. You agreed to transport the drugs to South Australia, driving from your home in New South Wales via Victoria, in order to wipe that debt,’ Judge Schammer said.

‘You feared you would be caught but took the risk to participate. Your fears were ultimately realised.’

The substances, which were sealed in eight individual packages, were stored in a black backpack found on his back seat.

‘Each package contained mixed methamphetamine, with the respective weights of those substances ranging between 991 and 995g. In a bum bag in the front passenger footwell were personal items belonging to you, together with $3,720 in cash. You were found to be carrying three mobile phones, which were all seized.

‘At that time, if sold in similarly packaged quantities, those drugs had a market value of between $720,000 and $840,000. If sold in smaller quantities, the drugs had a considerably higher market value.’

Described by the judge as a ‘talented player’ the footy star had enjoyed spells with West Harbour and Warringah, before joining the Wildfires in 2020.

He has also enjoyed stints playing in Spain and New Zealand.

Judge Schammer added: ‘I accept that you are extremely ashamed and remorseful for what you have done and you feel as if you have let everyone close to you down.’

The Advertiser also claims that the arrest was made as part of Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) Operation Kraken – a crackdown on an encrypted communications application that is used by alleged criminals.

As of December 2024, the AFP reported that more than 50 alleged criminals have been charged and $25m in assets have been restrained as part of the operation.

They add that they have stopped 230kg of illicit drugs from harming the Australian community as well as the seizure of 29 illicit firearms.