Strike Force Wessex detectives raided a Chapel Road South business last December, allegedly locating hundreds of fraudulent subscribed SIM cards and $60,000 cash before charging a 71-year-old woman with two counts of dealing with proceeds of crime and in January, searched a convenience store on Miller Road where a number of SIM cards and approximately $58,000 cash were allegedly seized, and a 53-year-old man charged with two counts of deal with property proceeds of crime less than $100,000, and two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception.
Detectives then worked to identify and recover some of the drug run phones from a number of alleged dealers, and charged two men aged 50 and 19.
The younger man was charged with supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity and possess prohibited drug, while the older man was charged with supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity, two counts of possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm, and possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit
Eight phones have been seized and a total of 26 phone numbers were identified as being used by alleged criminal syndicate members to run drugs, with a combined potential customer database of 50,000 people.
Before the phone numbers – some of which were allegedly in operation for up to 10 years – were disabled, the contacts were sent a text message which read, “The NSW Police Force: Strike Force Wessex has identified this number engaging with an organised crime drug supply ‘dial-a-dealer’ phone. If this continues you may be subject to further investigation. Cease all contact now.”
Warn 50,000 clients in dial-a-dealer bust
TWO mobile phone retailers in Bankstown and Bass Hill were raided by police investigating alleged criminal groups using ‘dial-a-dealer’ phones to supply drugs across Sydney.
