Victorians busted for peddling cocaine
Several Victorians were busted for slinging cocaine over the past few years. Here’s a look at some of the people who found themselves in front of a judge for their crimes.
Narcos on the Front Line
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Last month, News Corp Australia published Narcos, a special seven-part investigation into the global drug trade being fuelled by our huge appetite for illicit substances.
Senior reporter Stephen Drill and video journalist Jason Edwards traveled to the front line to expose the drug cartels and bikie groups plotting to flood our shores with a wave of super strength drugs.
The docuseries went to the source of the drugs – exposing not only the deadly ingredients used to produce cocaine but the price being paid by locals at the hands of the deadly cartels of Latin America.
It went deep into the narco tunnels used to smuggle cocaine and ice from Mexico into the United States, and visited the Port of Panama used by cartels to transport their deadly shipments on to the world.
And unless they’re intercepted, those drugs will inevitably end up on our streets to be peddled in clandestine deals, online or in the real world, fuelling the scourge of addiction in our community.
Wastewater testing by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) found a huge surge in the use of cocaine in Melbourne in 2021, which coincided with the easing of Covid restrictions in the city.
As Craig Dunlop reported, the spike in cocaine residue in the city’s wastewater peaked in December 2021, when pubs, nightclubs and gaming venues began returning to business-as-usual with the easing of restrictions and border bans.
A fresh snapshot of drug use in Australia between April and August 2022 showed cocaine use in Melbourne fell by 21 per cent.
However, as Natalie O’Brien reported, the ACIC believed the decline was the result of several huge busts around the country, rather than a decrease in consumers’ appetite for the drug.
Several Victorians were busted for slinging coke over the past few years.
Here’s a look at some of the people who found themselves in front of a judge for their crimes.
EMILY ARENA
Former Men’s Gallery stripper Emily Arena was nabbed moving drugs at a plush city Airbnb.
Arena, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in September 2022 to a 12-month community correction order after pleading guilty to a rolled-up drug trafficking charge.
Arena, who pleaded guilty to trafficking, meth, cocaine and MDMA, and her former boyfriend were arrested at their Flinders Lane Airbnb on September 11, 2021.
Police allege they found Arena and her former boyfriend in bed together, and a stack of cash and drugs after raiding the Flinders House apartment just after 9am.
Investigators seized meth, cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, $33,500 and a purple iPhone in a “glittery” case which belonged to Arena.
Arena’s phone contained multiple messages which linked the former exotic dancer to her drug dealing racket.
The court heard the messages indicated a “regular (and) organised poly-substance trafficking business in conjunction with and reporting to (the former boyfriend)”.
Arena told a customer who owed cash for drugs that “ … doesn’t want me to tic anymore”.
The messages also revealed Arena was slinging bags (grams) of pure or cut cocaine at between $300 and $450 a pop and quarter ounces for $9000.
Arena, who sold MDMA pills for $20, also offered to “organise” Ubers and taxis for customers to collect drugs, the court was told.
WILSON WONG AND CHRISTOPHER ANDRAOS
Former RMIT engineering grad Wilson Wong and his uni mate Christopher ‘Chris’ Andraos had their high-end international drug syndicate smashed by covert cops.
Wong was sentenced in the County Court in December 2022 to a minimum five-year jail term after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of heroin, meth and cocaine.
Wong and Andraos were “complicit” in running their Melbourne-based drug syndicate.
Wong, who also pleaded guilty to attempting to possess a marketable quantity of heroin, worked the gang’s local operations.
Andraos, a former NAB analyst, and others in the syndicate travelled to Vietnam where they sourced drugs before mailing the illicit gear back to Melbourne.
The key players travelled with suitcases stuffed with packaging material used to package and conceal the drugs overseas.
The syndicate used various mailboxes, shared office spaces, burner phones, fake identities and multiple Melbourne “safe houses” to mask its clandestine operation.
The crew used apartments at Essendon North and Footscray to store cash and prepare drugs and 15 other mailboxes and offices to receive drug consignments.
Drug Taskforce members raided the safe houses and properties at West Melbourne and Ascot Vale and arrested Wong and Andraos on September 18, 2019.
Investigators seized 365 grams of cocaine, 249 grams of meth, MDMA, $64,855, an industrial size cash counter, scales, the safe, mobile phones, Xanax, passports, a laptop and various fake identities linked to Wong.
Andraos was sentenced to a nine-year and nine-month jail term with a minimum of six years after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of heroin, meth and cocaine and attempting to possess a marketable quantity of heroin.
Wong, who sobbed throughout an earlier hearing, was jailed for a maximum of eight years and nine months.
DEAN DUKIC
Former Melbourne soccer prodigy Dean Dukic turned to trafficking drugs after a knee injury ended his sporting dreams.
Dukic was sentenced in the County Court in February 2023 to a minimum 44-month jail term after pleading guilty to trafficking meth and cocaine.
Dukic, who also pleaded guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of ephedrine, was done at his family’s Cranbourne North home in October 2017.
Investigators seized various drugs including meth, MDMA, heroin, speed, cocaine, valium, Xanax and more than half a kilo of ephedrine – a base drug to produce meth.
Police also seized various weapons including a double-edged hunting knife, a butterfly knife, nunchucks and four handguns – three of which were loaded – a gun magazine, ammo and a ballistic vest. Dukic was also done with a tick book and $112,949 cash.
Dukic was arrested and released but later remanded on November 20, 2019.
The court heard Dukic had been a star junior NSL soccer player whose bright career was shut down by a crippling knee injury.
Dukic, who had hoped for a “professional career”, injured his knee while shooting the winning goal for his team.
Dukic, who had spent 1057 days on remand, was jailed for a maximum six years.
YOHANN MOREAU AND JACOB GOLDSMID
A Melbourne party boy pair ran a cocaine, MDMA and ketamine trafficking empire masked with secret ledgers and strict rules when dealing with customers.
Jacob Goldsmid and Yohann Moreau were sentenced in the County Court in August 2022 after the pair pleaded guilty to trafficking a large commercial quantity of drugs.
The former St Kilda-based duo peddled large amounts of MDMA, cocaine and ketamine between December 2019 and July 2020.
Goldsmid and Moreau, who also both pleaded guilty to trafficking speed and LSD, ran their racket out of multiple Airbnbs.
The pair, who alternated “shifts” at the Airbnbs, also stored drugs, cash and a secret ledger at a Balaclava apartment nicknamed “the shop”.
Police raided the Balaclava “shop” where they located valium, Xanax, cocaine, ketamine, tablets and a drug ledger on June 4, 2020.
The pair both confessed to operating a joint drug trafficking enterprise for 12 months and admitted they both made entries into the drug ledger.
Moreau, a French national in Melbourne on a student visa, was jailed for a maximum of eights with a minimum of four years.
Goldsmid, a former landscaper, was jailed for a maximum nine years with a minimum of four years and six months.
JORDAN ALEXANDER
Cocaine dealer Jordan Alexander sobbed in court after he was jailed for trafficking meth at his mum’s house.
In April 2022, Alexander was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to six months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including trafficking meth, MDMA and cocaine.
Alexander’s many chances ran out after police raided he and his mum’s Bundoora home on February 16, 2021.
Investigators seized meth, $27,150 in cash, shotgun ammo, Xanax and a “large amount” of deal bags.
Alexander’s mum informed police she had no knowledge of any of the items seized, the court was told.
Police searched Alexander’s bedroom where they seized the deal bags stuffed in an Ugg Boot.
Mum called her son, who was not home at the time of the raid, and told him to return to the house.
Alexander asked if he could have a shower before being arrested — which police allowed — but the drug dealer failed to show up.
Police fronted up at the Bundoora home the next day but Alexander was still on the run.
Alexander, who eventually handed himself in at a later date, told police he was in a large amount of debt due to a previous drug raid.
Alexander, an apprentice plumber, claimed he was told by a “person” to hold the bag of drugs, cash and ammo seized by police.
Alexander also claimed he “had no other option” because he was “so scared” of this mysterious person.
The prolific drug dealer was on bail at the time awaiting a deferred sentence for previous trafficking charges.
Alexander was also handed an 18-month community correction order.
BLAYDEN MEAGHER
Former world stage triathlete Blayden Meagher was busted with a massive haul of drugs including MDMA and cocaine.
Meagher was sentenced in the County Court in May 2022 to a minimum four year and six month jail term after pleading guilty to multiple charges including trafficking a large commercial quantity of MDMA.
Meagher’s major drug racket was sunk after he was pulled over by police on EastLink near Carrum Downs on November 16, 2019.
Investigators locked on to Meagher after reports he was driving erratically, the court was told.
The once-promising open swimmer, who competed at state and national level, was nabbed with 100 ecstasy tablets in a bumbag, 26 deal bags containing cocaine stashed in his waistband, scales, bute, deal bags and cash — some of which was bundled in his underwear.
The talented athlete, who once competed in the World Triathlon Championship Series, told police he picked up the drugs while on his way to his parents’ Blairgowrie holiday home.
Police raided Meagher’s parents’ Doncaster East home the next day but found nothing illegal.
However, Meagher’s sister informed police her brother had moved to a house in Bulleen.
Investigators raided the Manningham Rd property where they discovered an Aladdin’s Cave of drugs and cash.
Police seized 1.8kg of MDMA from an open safe in a room titled “manager’s room”, various other drugs, a box of needles and a “significant” amount of cash.
Meagher was exposed as a drug trafficker after analysis of his phone revealed photos of drugs on scales and a text message exchange “discussing the sale of drugs”.
The court heard Meagher, who had a “good upbringing”, was raised in Doncaster and the extent of his drug racket was a “shock to the family”.
Meagher, who also pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine, was jailed for a maximum seven years and six months.
BRONSON INTERLANDI, MATAR DVIR-OVADIA
Hawthorn East plumber Bronson Interlandi was the brains behind a Melbourne-wide cocaine delivery racket.
Interlandi was sentenced in the County Court in May 2021 to a minimum three years’ jail after pleading guilty to trafficking cocaine.
Interlandi, who also pleaded guilty to drug possession and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime, co-ordinated the drug racket between November 2019 and June 2020.
The court heard Interlandi sold cocaine after his healthy snack machine company ‘Aussie Lean Machine’ collapsed.
Interlandi supplied cocaine to primary operatives, including Matar Dvir-Ovadia.
Dvir-Ovadia, under the alias ‘Andy’, used a phone issued by Interlandi to receive orders via SMS, calls and encrypted messaging application ‘Signal’.
Interlandi devised a four-week roster system where one of the operatives worked a three-week “shift” and Dvir-Ovadia clocked-on the other week.
The crony pair picked up customers who were made to sit in the back seat.
The customers were then driven a short distance and the deal was done.
Police surveillance captured players in the racket sling coke at multiple locations throughout Melbourne including outside pubs in Richmond and the city.
Investigators moved in and arrested the gang on June 10, 2020.
Police seized 376 grams of cocaine from various locations.
The 248 grams of pure cocaine located at the Milton Parade office was only linked to Interlandi.
Dvir-Ovadia, who is also a plumber, was only involved in the operation between February and May 2020.
Interlandi was jailed for a maximum six years after spending 345 days on remand.
Dvir-Ovadia was handed a three-year community correction order with 300 hours of unpaid community work.
JACKSON DAVIS
The mother of a drug dealer busted by police at a music festival told a Melbourne court she was “horrified” at her son’s offending.
In June 2023, Jackson Davis, 23, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of trafficking cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy, dimethylamphetamines, possessing LSD, cannabis and Xanax, possessing a controlled weapon and possessing proceeds of crime.
In March, police patrolling a music festival near Swan Hill saw Davis acting suspiciously, before he spotted them and quickly ducked into a port-a-loo.
When he emerged, officers searched Davis and the toilet, turning up a large stockpile of drugs, including 14.1g of ketamine, 19 Xanax tablets, 11 LSD tablets, 17.7g of cocaine, 5g of dimethylamphetamines, 118 ecstasy tablets, a 3g bag of ‘green vegetable matter’, an orange switchblade knife and $1775 in cash.
The court heard police also seized Davis’ car and phone, where they found further evidence of drug trafficking in his text message conversations.
In an interview with police, the court heard Davis had said he was “just having fun”.
In court, Davis was accompanied by his mother, Gayle, who said she was “horrified” and “shocked” when she found out about her son’s offending.
Davis told the court the entire process had been an eye-opening experience for him.
“I was stuck in a never-ending cycle, this is the wakeup call I needed,” he said.
Magistrate Felicity Broughton said drug dealing and trafficking was a “scourge to the community”.
However, Ms Broughton said his early plea of guilty and family support fell in his favour.
“It’s clear he’s been significantly chastened by the stupidity of these actions,” she said.
She ordered Davis to complete an 18-month community corrections order without conviction, with 200 hours of unpaid community work, including 80 hours of classes related to substance and alcohol abuse.
Ms Broughton said she would have imprisoned him had he not pleaded guilty.
ANDREW HOURIGAN
Andrew Hourigan pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine and avoided further jail time after he was sentenced in 2021 to time served – 22 days.
His older brother, Christopher Hourigan, was also sentenced in the County Court to time served – 30 days – after pleading guilty to trafficking butanediol 1,4.
Christopher was busted after the younger Hourigan led undercover cops right to his doorstep.
Andrew Hourigan lobbed on the police radar first after he sold drugs to an undercover cop.
Police targeted Hourigan junior after investigators established the Wesley College graduate was slinging cocaine via drug dealing website Leafedout.
The court heard dealers peddled drugs via Leafedout using codenames including “Charlie” for cocaine, ‘Indica” for cannabis and “M” for MDMA.
Hourigan junior, under the Wickr alias Upthetren1, sold more than 155g of cocaine to undercover police between October 20 and January 25 this year.
The multiple deals, which went down at various Melbourne suburbs including Oakleigh, Malvern East and Bentleigh, totalled $15,000.
Hourigan junior also offered to sell 112g of cocaine in a single deal to an undercover cop for $34,000 but the transaction never went through.
Hourigan also communicated with police via Wickr, telling an undercover cop he was “packing the gear” just prior to a deal.
Investigators seized steroids, almost 40g of 1,4 butanediol, almost 100g of cannabis, cocaine and MDMA.
Investigators, who tailed Hourigan throughout Melbourne, caught the Hansel and Gretel trail the coke dealer left to his older brother’s Frankston North drug racket.
Police pounced and arrested Hourigan junior at his parents’ Malvern East home just before 5am on January 27 this year.
Investigators seized steroids, almost 40g of 1,4 butanediol, almost 100g of cannabis, cocaine and MDMA.
Police also raided Hourigan senior’s Mulberry Crescent drug cave at exactly the same time.
Investigators seized more than 2.3kg of bute, almost 70g of meth, 50g of cocaine, MDMA, ecstasy, various steroids, $3260 cash and more than 3kg of cannabis.
The Hourigan boys grew up in a family of “educated individuals”, with both parents retired school teachers while dad also worked as university lecturer, the court was told.
The court heard the brothers’ other siblings enjoyed successful careers but Christopher, who completed VCE at Wesley College, and Andrew, who also completed VCE, were unemployed at the time of the offending.said.
Judge Michael McInerney warned both Hourigans to “bring their toothbrush” if he saw them again.
Originally published as Victorians busted for peddling cocaine
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