THE ex-boyfriend of an allegedly corrupt SA Police officer has admitted masterminding a $40 million drug syndicate that involved Adelaide A-listers, including a TV star.

Storm Alexander Strang, 43, of St Peters, appeared in the District Court this morning and pleaded guilty to a raft of money laundering, drug and criminal organisation charges.

By his pleas, Strang admitted leading 16 South Australians involved in a four-year, $40 million cannabis syndicate.

TV star and former footballer Clayton Lush and A-list personal trainer Trent Minchinton were also arrested in connection with the syndicate.

Strang’s then-partner, serving SA Police officer Amanda Boughen, is facing trial accused of tipping her lover off to an imminent investigation into his activities.

Prosecutors have alleged the syndicate’s members moved cannabis across three state borders and received payment by post packs filled with cash.

They alleged those post packs were intercepted by police and the notes inside them marked, leading to the arrests.

Lush, who starred in Channel 9’s Building Ideas program, was caught with $19,000 worth of the marked notes and had between two and three “grow rooms” in each of his five properties.

He will face the District Court later this month.

Minchinton was arrested after police found cannabis plants growing at his home but insisted he had built his grow rooms because he wanted “to try cannabis” for the first time.

A magistrate last week rejected that submission as “offending common sense” — Minchinton will be sentenced later this week.

Last month, Strang faced the District Court and asked his arraignment be postponed in order to finalise a plea bargain deal with prosecutors.

Today, Strang pleaded guilty to 14 counts of money laundering and one count of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a criminal organisation.

In a joint application, prosecution and defence counsel asked Strang’s case be referred to Judge Rauf Soulio, who is already presiding over the matters of other syndicate members.

David Edwardson, QC, for Strang, said the case was a complex one comprising many evidentiary documents.

Judge Rosemary Davey, however, said that information was not before her.

“That may well be (as you say), but I’m not going to make that decision (to transfer the case) when there’s nothing on the papers,” she said.

“I’m just not prepared to make that decision without knowing what’s going on.

“I’m one of those annoying people that doesn’t just do things because people tell me to.”

She remanded Strang on continuing bail to a directions hearing next month.

Another of Strang’s alleged co-offenders, Petra Camm, appeared in court alongside him today.

Camm, 37, of Ashton, pleaded not guilty to six counts of money laundering and one count of participating in a criminal organisation.

She was remanded on continuing bail to face a directions hearing next month.

Camm and Strang left court separately after the hearing, each being met by a waiting car on Victoria Square.