Joshua Gotsis’ bail bid over role in dial-a-dealer syndicate in Sutherland Shire

New allegations have come to light that a young plumber transported more than a $1m worth of drugs. in addition to his involvement in supplying 2000 bags of coke for a dial-a-dealer syndicate operating in Sydney’s south.

Joshua Gotsis. Picture: Facebook

New allegations have come to light that a young plumber transported more than a $1m worth of drugs. in addition to his involvement in supplying 2000 bags of coke for a dial-a-dealer syndicate operating in Sydney’s south.

Joshua Gotsis, 23, was granted bail in Supreme Court on Friday over serious drug supply charges relating to his alleged involvement in supplying 1.2kg of cocaine as part of a Sutherland Shire dial-a-dealer operation from July to December last year.

The court heard new information written in a police statement of facts where Gotsis was “trusted” to transport 6kg of meth that he had in his possession overnight, worth in excess of a million dollars.

The court previously heard syndicate organisers allegedly used a “central control phone” to send mass messages to 1900 contacts while buyers would place their orders before runners would deliver their cocaine and MDMA.

In August, Sutherland detectives started an investigation into the ongoing supply of drugs and used physical and covert surveillance, controlled buyers, undercover police operatives and telephone intercepts to monitor and gather evidence on the alleged syndicate members and their customers.

Brandon Matavesi, Joshua Gotsis, Joshua Hargreaves and Kyle Russo were arrested for their alleged roles in the syndicate.

Police arrested alleged leader Mohammed El-Sammak, 28, along with Joshua David Hargreaves, 23, and a number of other alleged runners late last year.

Police allege Gotsis was the main phone operator with Hargreaves helping out when he was busy.

Police further allege Gotsis would deliver the cash takings to El-Sammak, who would then give money to Gotsis and Hargreaves as payment, which was about $35,000 a week.

Gotsis was charged with large commercial drug supply, ongoing drug supply, knowingly dealing with crime proceeds, knowingly directing a criminal group, and failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.

In court, defence lawyer Elias Tabchouri said the new allegations suggested Gotsis was a “transporter” of the drugs and that he wasn’t involved in the negotiations, adding he allegedly “picked up and dropped off the drugs at the behest of El-Sammak”.

Mr Tabchouri submitted his client was allegedly a “worker” who did not establish the syndicate, conceding he was above a runner and would help reload drugs but it was yet to be determined the nature of his role.

Joshua Briggs (left) Nelson Moore, Zachary Gabor and Daniel Pearce were also arrested.

A Crown prosecutor opposed Gotsis’ release because his role was beyond someone who was supplying drugs to fund his own habit.

The court heard Gotsis had mental health issues stemming from a difficult childhood and lived with his grandparents, who offered a $500,000 surety to secure his release.

Mr Tabchouri told the court Gotsis lost his job in mid 2023 before he became more addicted to cocaine and was using 3.5g a day.

Justice Sarah McNaughton said the allegations against Gotsis were serious with some involving maximum penalties of life imprisonment and the case against him “appeared reasonably strong”.

She accepted he had no criminal history, was in custody for the first time and was still young.

Justice McNaughton accepted Gotsis was not the “head of the syndicate but appears to have a serious level of responsibility,” adding he was “under the control of the head of the syndicate and did the head of the syndicate’s bidding”.

Justice McNaughton agreed to grant Gotsis bail and he must live with his grandparents in Revesby, report to police daily, not leave the house without his parents and not take illegal drugs among other strict conditions.

Gotsis will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.

Originally published as Joshua Gotsis’ bail bid over role in dial-a-dealer syndicate in Sutherland Shire