Jacob Stephen Muxlow-Warde to remain in custody after failed bail application for alleged drug ring role

The alleged kingpin of a Sunshine Coast drug ring spanning across South East Queensland will remain in custody after his bail application was rejected in court.

The alleged kingpin of a large-scale Sunshine Coast drug ring will remain in custody after his bail application was rejected in court due to the severity of his charges.

Jacob Stephen Muxlow-Warde, 27, appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court via video link on Friday, May 20, 2022, facing 11 drug-related charges.

The court heard Muxlow-Warde was the alleged ringleader of a drug syndicate which comprised of its own employees, customers, and couriers to distribute drugs across the Sunshine Coast.

The drug ring was alleged to have been running for about four and a half years and spanned several parts of South East Queensland.

Muxlow-Warde was arrested on May 19, 2022, which concluded phase one and two of joint police operation ‘Tango Birch’ which commenced on December 202o, comprising of Sunshine Coast detectives and Crime and Intelligence Command specialists.

Phase one saw officers arrest 16 people on 45 offences and seize $110,000.

Throughout phase 2, police undertook 13 search warrants which led to the arrest of 15 people on 93 charges in total.

Police also confiscated $70,000 cash and a $30,000 Harley Davidson motorbike.

Court documents revealed Muxlow-Warde communicated with customers using encrypted apps including Wickr, Threema, and Snap Chat to avoid detection, according to police investigations.

The documents stated the 27-year-old had employed a male drug trafficker who carried two smartphones in his vehicles and sold cocaine in quantities ranging from 3.5g to 4 ounces for up to $6500.

Jacob Stephen Muxlow-Warde

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Newman told the court authorities conducted a PPRA search warrant at the trafficker’s address in Sippy Downs as part of the operation.

The suspect was located at the site along with a number of items including two mobile phones, digital scales, laptop, and a quantity of steroids, cannabis and $4530 cash.

Sergeant Newman said police searched the man’s phones and found extensive drug related content.

He said a search warrant was later executed at Muxlow-Warde’s Little Mountain home and uncovered about $14,000 cash, cannabis, steroids, cocaine, designer goods and a $94,000 Porsche.

Officers also seized the 27-year-old’s phone which revealed the location of a safe house in Battery Hill he was using to stash the syndicate’s drugs.

Sergeant Newman said police then carried out a PPRA search warrant of the Battery Hill premises on May 19 at 6.10am, where they located a black bag with a headphone case which contained a clip seal bag of cocaine 25g’s worth, along with $1710 cash.

He mentioned officers also found a courier had operated at the location as part of the drug ring and a tick list of 14 alleged clients owing Muxlow-Warde $21,200 in debts during their investigations.

Muxlow-Warde previously pleaded guilty at the Queensland Supreme Court in Brisbane on October 27, 2021, to multiple drug offences and received a two year wholly suspended sentence.

Sergeant Newman said the alleged drug trafficking kingpin continued to operate the ring before, during and after his sentence.

The 27-year-old was also shown to be current a nominee to the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

Sergeant Newman asked for Muxlow-Warde’s bail application to be rejected due to the scale of his offences and the risks posed to the wider community.

Duty lawyer Neesha Maidwell said the 27-year-old has no prior history for breaching bail before his most recent offences.

Ms Maidwell said Muxlow-Warde was willing to comply with strict bail conditions including daily reporting to police, wear an ankle bracelet, and cease communication with his co-accused associates and motorcycle gang counterparts.

Magistrate Raelene Ellis said Muxton-Warde’s offending posed a risk to public welfare and was a chance of reoffending.

Muxlow-Warde is facing four counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs, three counts of possessing anything used in the commission of crime, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, one count of possessing dangerous drugs (schedule 1) and one count of receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking or supplying.

Magistrate Ellis rejected Muxton-Warde’s bail application and will remain in custody to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 15 via video link.