A baby-faced teenager who is the youngest South Australian person to be charged as part of Operation Ironside could be released on home detention because he is “vulnerable” in jail, a court has heard.

Apostle Broikos was charged with two set of serious drugs offences after he was arrested by SA Police under the international law enforcement operation that saw more than 220 alleged Australian offenders apprehended.

The 18-year-old was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug, being methylamphetamine, for offences that allegedly occurred on May 19, 2021 at Yamba, just west of the Victoria-SA border.

His co-accused on that charge is his uncle Theodore Tasman Broikos, Comanchero bikie boss Cain Robert Dalwood and alleged bikie member Mark James Press.

Mr Broikos was also charged with manufacturing and trafficking in a controlled drug between January 1 and August 19 in 2020 at Morphett Vale.

After his arrest and first court appearance earlier this month, the teenager has remained in custody.

His lawyer previously argued his client was too young to stay in an adult jail and should be granted bail, but the magistrate denied the request.

Mr Broikos — who is one of the youngest in the nation to be arrested as part the operation — fronted the Adelaide Magistrates Court via video link on Tuesday.

His lawyer David Edwardson QC again argued his client should be granted home detention bail because of his age and “vulnerable position” behind bars.

He said the boy’s parents would provide $20,000 upfront as well as a $100,000 guarantee if it was granted and that Mr Broikos would also work with his father.

“This extremely young man is only 18 years of age, is in a very vulnerable position and falls into a completely different category from other alleged offenders,” Mr Edwardson said

“I’m particularly concerned about such a young man in these circumstance.”

Magistrate John Wells ordered a home detention report be conducted and told the lawyer to warn his client this did not necessarily mean it would be granted.

“It would be helpful if you could communicate that to your client,” the magistrate said.

The lawyer replied: “He understands there is no guarantee. He understands it’s simply a formality at this stage.”

Mr Edwardson argued there was currently no information tying Broikos to the alleged manufacture of the drugs, despite the fact he was charged over it.

“We don’t know when. We don’t know what the substances are, the materials, who makes that assertion – whether it’s admissible or not,” Mr Edwardson said.

“There is absolutely nothing that identifies this man (Broikos) as being connected.

“That may be simply an issue that SAPOL chose not to disclose that at this stage … we just don’t know.”

When discussing the “essential matters” that related to the accused, the court heard Mr Broikos’ alleged involvement was from meeting with two men at nearby shops and locations, to distance themselves from the Morphett Vale drug lab, where they allegedly exchanged “materials and substances”.

Mr Broikos allegedly delivered cash to one man — who is currently before the courts also facing drug trafficking and manufacturing charges from Operation Ironside — and made arrangements for other people to meet with the man to deliver substances and materials.

The teenager was also accused of distributing or selling phones that had the encrypted AN0M app installed.

“That is not illegal and it can’t stand in the way of him getting bail,” Mr Edwardson said.

During the hearing, prosecutor amend the manufacturing charge against Mr Broikos and upgraded it to include that between the seven months in 2020, the young man manufactured a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug, being methylamphetamine, with the intention of selling it or believing another person intended to sell it.

There were no objections to the amended change by Mr Edwardson.

Mr Broikos was a St Ignatius’ College student and graduated from the private school in 2020.

The court heard the student, who also attended St Joseph’s primary school in Payneham, “excelled” throughout school and averaged A-grades.

A sports report from the school showed he played in the First XI soccer team during his education.

Operation Ironside covertly began three years ago where the AFP and FBI began discreetly reading messages sent through the dedicated encrypted platform called AN0M.

Under the operation, there were 95 South Australians charged, three drugs labs were shut down and 30 firearms and almost $2m in cash was seized.