Three people arrested over alleged dark web drug supply operation

A 25-year-old man will face court today on the NSW South Coast after he allegedly amassed $17 million in crypto currency in an illegal drug supply syndicate, the “largest penetration” of the dark web in Australia.

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A hacker allegedly amassed $17 million in crypto currency and a Maserati in a dark web drug supply syndicate.

Ward allegedly amassed $17 million in crypto currency.

Cody Ward, 25, from Callala Beach, alleged to be the mastermind behind the online drug business, was arrested yesterday by NSW Police.

Callala Bay woman Shanese Koullias, 24, and a 20-year-old Quakers Hill woman were also arrested.

Police seized kilos of white powder, hundreds of thousands of tablets of acid, MDMA, ice and Xanax that looked like lollies.

A 24-year-old woman and 20-year-old woman will also appear before a magistrate. Picture: NSW Police

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Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said police will allege Ward had been running the business of a number of years.

“He is a hacker,” he said.

“He learnt his skill as a youth, now he is a highly capable person using hi-tech systems often used by government agencies.

“We are doing a technological exploitation by experts into the sophisticated money network involving cryptocurrency worth $17 million,” he said.

Police will allege the man was operating as an online vendor on the dark web and a cryptocurrency account showed $17 million in transactions.

The arrests came after a 10-month investigation into criminal networks involved in illegal drug supply on the South Coast.

“We will allege this individual has been operating for a number of years.

“This is the largest penetration of the dark web in Australia.

“The syndicate was using Australia Post with masking techniques to send parcels across Australia.”

He said the two woman would do the mail outs of the drugs everyday in different locations.

“We recovered 85 packages alone from the Nowra Post Office on one day,” Mr Smith said.

The three had been refused bail to appear at Nowra Local Court today.

Police will allege the women packaged and posted the drugs to buyers across the country. Picture: NSW Police

The trio was arrested during search warrants across the South Coast. Picture: NSW Police

Originally published as Three people arrested over alleged dark web drug supply operation