Police allege Joshua Peter James Moore, 30, was the boss of a successful drug syndicate, and used the pseudonym “Uncle Charlie” when he allegedly directed his courier to drop the “bricks” of cocaine on August 6 last year.

The drug ring’s couriers allegedly made ten runs to deliver up to 3.6 kgs of cocaine each time from Sydney or the Hunter Valley to Moore’s home in Seven Hills, a leafy suburb on Brisbane’s southside between June 10 and August 11 last year.

The secret message allegedly sent by Mr Moore using the encrypted app Threema, is one of hundreds allegedly exchanged between members of an alleged southeast Queensland cocaine ring.

Police have used the messages and other evidence to charge four alleged members of the syndicate with cocaine trafficking, including alleged boss Moore, alleged drug-smuggling logistics manager Daniel Jung-Hyun Cho, 29, a bulldog breeder and nutritional supplement sales manager from Coomera, as well as alleged couriers Mitchell Craig Barrow, 37, from Mermaid Waters and Ricardo Felipe Rojas-Miranda, 28, from Hope Island.

Details of the messages were revealed in the Supreme Court in Brisbane last month when Justice Soraya Ryan refused to grant Mr Cho bail.

Mr Cho, who works at supplements store Tribeca Health in Burleigh Heads, has been in custody since November 6.

His mother, semi-retired finance broker Woo Yung “Linda” Jung, 59, from Benowa, offered a $100,000 surety against her $2m home to secure her son’s freedom.

However prosecutor Annica Fritz submitted that Mrs Jung may not be eligible to offer surety because she was convicted of stealing in Bankstown Local Court in NSW in 1994.

The Threema messages allegedly show Cho, who was alleged to have used the pseudonym Fingerfood, boasting that “we have good sh**” allegedly referring to the quality of the cocaine he was trafficking and referring to “cut” versus “uncut” and “price per oz is 11k”.

The cocaine smuggled in one run in August was alleged to cost $1m to buy wholesale, with Cho alleged to confirm to his alleged co-offenders that he could contribute his $335,000 slice from cash in his “safe”.

Cho’s barrister Angus Edwards told the court that the prosecution case against his client was largely based on whether or not prosecutors can prove that Cho used the pseudonym Fingerfood.

“At this stage no evidence has been identified to prove that link,” Mr Edwards told the court in written submissions.

The Threema messages were found by police on Rojas-Miranda’s mobile phone after he was arrested in the NSW town of Coffs Harbour with 3.6kg of cocaine hidden in “nutrition boxes” in his car on August 17, court documents state.

Police allege Cho was caught on phone taps telling his Brazilian bodybuilder girlfriend Flavia Cintra Basile, 39, that a luxury waterfront short-stay rental house on the Isle of Capri he had booked and paid for – at $490 a night – was to be the “shop”, allegedly to store drugs and cash, after she confronted him suspicious that it was a love nest for an affair.

It is not alleged that Ms Basile has engaged in any wrongdoing.

Police later found cocaine, cash, steroids and 16 mobile phones at the Isle of Capri “shop”, where co-accused Andrew James Barakat, 31, from Surfers Paradise, was also located.

Barakat has been charged with possessing dangerous drugs, and receiving tainted property.

Cho is alleged to have met with Moore in person on several occasions, captured on tracking data and surveillance, and to have met with the courier Barrow on July 6 and July 16 to pay him his drug-courier fee, court documents state.

Cho is also alleged to have run his own trafficking syndicate on the Gold Coast, using Rojas-Miranda and others to sell coke.

Police also allege in court documents that upon returning from a trip to Sydney on November 5 last year, courier Barrow parked his silver 2019 Mitsubishi Triton ute at Tweed Heads and walked across the NSW-Queensland border carrying a 10 litre paint tin and with his dog, then met Moore in Coolangatta and got in his car and drove together to the border checkpoint at Bilinga on the southern Gold Coast where police arrested them.

Police alleged when they searched Moore’s car they found the paint tin, which contained two vacuum-sealed bags containing a white “brick-like” substance alleged to be cocaine worth $380,000.

Various of the four co-accused are alleged to have been seen by police meeting up a locations including the carpark of the Ikea store in Underwood, and the carpark Westfield in Coomera to exchange payments or place paint tins or cardboard boxes in cars.

Police allege they found $86,845 in cash and 74 grams of cocaine at Cho’s home in Crusade Court, and $50,775 in a black Louis Vuitton bag in his black Ford Ranger ‘Raptor’. They also allege they found small amounts of cocaine on a shelf next to his work desk at Tribeca Health.

Cho told police the white powder on his shelf was cocaine, according to the police statement of facts tendered in court.

Police allege they found a Richard Mille watch worth $590,000 and a silver Rolex worth $280,000 in the room of the Meriton Suites Broadbeach where Moore was staying when he was arrested.

Cho is due in Southport Magistrates Court on March 29 for a call-over via video-link.

ENCRYPTED MESSAGES BETWEEN ALLEGED COCAINE RING PLAYERS:

Police allege Fingerfood is Daniel Cho, Macdaddy is unknown, Joshua Moore is allegedly Uncle Charlie, Ricardo Rojas-Miranda is allegedly Referee, Mitchell Craig Barrow is allegedly Bugs

Encrypted messaging app Threema chat titled “Dad”

10 July 2021

Fingerfood: Yo 18 mins

Macdaddy: Sweet

Fingerfood: All good?

Fingerfood: Her

Macdaddy: ok coming

Encrypted messaging app Threema chat titled “Macdaddy”

18 July 2021

Macdaddy: Hey brother. Leaving my house now. Were you home? ??

Referee: Yeah home bro sorry was asleep

Macdaddy: Ahh all good brother will leaev mine in about 20 mins that cool?

Macdaddy: Leaving now brother seeya soon.

Referree: See u soon

Macdaddy: Here bro

Referee: coming

6 August

Referee: Hey bro sorry (710pm)

Macdaddy: All go bro just started to panic u were all good. U got ETA

Referee: Na bro im all good. Just got spooked being on phone whist xriving (SIC) cause got fined LOL

Macdaddy:that’s good bro. All g bro understand just seeing how far u are off me.

Referee: Gotta do surfers first bro then come see you

Referee: So about 8ish that cool?

Macdaddy: Ok bro yeha just got a guy here now waiting all g

Referee: Fuckk sorry man tryna be a quick as I can. Sorry bro.

Macdaddy: All good.

Macdaddy: Hey bro how ya travelling

Referee: I will be 10 from you in 2 mins bro

Macdaddy: Sweet cheers my bro

Referee: Sorry bro

Referee: Been running around all day

Macdaddy: All go bro

Referee: 5 min

Referee: Sweet

Macdaddy: here

Referee: coming

7 August

Macdaddy: Hey bro I got paper for u to grab whenever u ready

Referee: Easy bro. Will leave around 7

Macdaddy: No stress brother I’ll be here

Referee: Sweet bro

Referee: Hey bro gonna leave mine at 730 finder running late

Macdaddy: Too easy bro

Referee: Hey bro sorry runnin lik late

Macdaddy: All g bro I’m not going anywhere

Referee: Swet thsbks g

Macdaddy: All g my brother

Refereey: 20 min aqay (SIC)

Macdaddy: Too easy bro msg when u here I’ll open garage get u to come in

Referee: esy.

Referee: Here

Macdaddy: Bro 2 mins just on important call

Referee: ok

Macdaddy: Come in bro.

Macdaddy: (MINUTES LATER) Bro can you let me know exact amount that I put in the bag u took. The shoebox is 187K the lockbox is 193800 I cant remember exactly what I put in the bag bud 76k to 80k plus finder owed me 15k and $1350 was in the green to the bro.

Referee: Easy bro. Have told him so hes aware

Macdaddy: Should be 76450 I’m pretty sure

Referee: Sweet bro. Forgot to grab the 100 from you Uc said 100 for drop off

Macdaddy: Oh yeah shit I’ll give to u tomorrow bro that sweet

Referee: haha all good brother I usually ask ya so my bad

Threema chat titled “Hombre”.

8 August

Fingerfood: Nihao

Referee: yo

Goku: Chur

Goku: Just let me know when you want to get Carls

Referee: Yep easy should be 18 Min

Goku: Sweet bro

Fingerfood: make sure you keep my (SIC) updated

Goku: For sure

Referee: Pulin un now

Goku: Still 5

Referee: ok. Parked in front of carls jr drive through

Fingerfood: Also goku if she breaks it too much that’s a big no no

Fingerfood: she can get a small price and break that

Fingerfood: I will reweigh it

Fingerfood: When

Fingerfood: Or if she doesnt get it

Goku: Sweet bro

Fingerfood: Piece***

Fingerfood: Yep keep me updated as you go

Goku: Yep

Fingerfood: It’s 11k and it’s firm

Goku: 100%

Fingerfood: 10.8k if she needs

Goku: kk

Fingerfood: You still get what you need

Goku: Sweet

Fingerfood: You going there today

Goku: Here now bruv

Fingerfood: OK sweet

Fingerfood: Lmk bro

Fingerfood: Shouldn’t take this long

Goku: Yeah had to wait ages before I could go over

Fingerfood: I with them now?

Fingerfood: You

Goku: Just left. She was impressed

Fingerfood: So is she taking it

Goku: May look at buying 2 or 3

Goku: Not just yet

Fingerfood: Okay...

Fingerfood: When

Goku: Will find out tomorrow

Goku: What’s price if she gets 2 or 3 and I’ll let her know

Goku: Or basicaly price per oz

Goku: Then I’ll add our fees on top and giev her a final price

Fingerfood: Price per oz is 11k

Fingerfood: When she buys 5 pack Qkeg 10 pack or 20pack

Fingerfood: Is when the price goes down

Fingerfood: She should know that if she gets uncut shit

Fingerfood: But I know for a fact she gets cut shit

Goku: Ok sweet

Goku: Yeah probs

Fingerfood: She can get 250 dollars off each oz

Fingerfood: If she gets 3

Fingerfood: And it’s cash up

Fingerfood: She now knows we have good shit

Goku: LOL yep

Fingerood: So we have the upper hand, she wants cut shit she can buy it from the others

Goku: She said the guys that she sold the nose to said it was the best shit

Fingerood: So it’s on our terms next time

Goku: Yeah brother

Fingerfood: If she wants the (EYE EMOJI) it’s cash to you first

Fingerfood: Then once cash in your hands then I’ll organise it

Fingerfood: You collect 80 off her

Goku: Yep 100%

Goku: Yeah bro

Fingerfood: Okay sweet

Goku: Yo miso knows 1 or 2 guys that may want this amount. I can put a little in a small bag so she can show. Basically reweigh the O and charge for what’s taken. Does that work with you brother?

Fingerfood: If you need samples I can get it

Fingerfood: Basically they are not there for transaction

Fingerfood: They give you money

Fingerfood: Then

Fingerfood: You come to me

Fingerfood: Then you go back to them

Goku: Yep like last time

Fingerfood: Hat (SIC) same O that she took points out of

Goku: Are you basically saying riskier and heavier punishment etc

Fingerfood: Will go to her

Goku: Yep

Fingerfood: And from 11k for that oz

Fingerfood: she only owes 10920

Fingerfood:11k non negotiable

Fingerfood: For our product

Fingerfood: 5pack

Fingerfood: 140g

Threema chat titled “Fingerfood”.

Dated “7 days ago”.

Fingerfood: Nah all good we all have to be ontop of it.

Referee: Yeah no worries

Fingerfood: Call me on your burn if you can

Fingerfood: Big issue earlier the better

Referee: Good to go

Fingerfood: Okay sweet.

Fingerfood: Hey brother

Fingerfood: I’m done training

Referee: Easy bro

Referee: Just putting shoes on then heading over

Fingerfood: Well wait 5 mins.

Fingerfood: Just pulling up to macs

Referee: ok sorry dad

Fingerfood: Macdaddys

Fingerfood: Need to get paps

Referee: All good I’ll just go f*** myself

Fingerfood: Did teedee reply

Referee: 1sec

Fingerfood: LOL.

Fingerfood: Almost home bro

Fingerfood: May have some good news

Referee: on my way g

Referee: 316*

Fingerfood: Yes.

Fingerfood: Doesn’t change

Referee: Good to know

Referee: Yo ease up on the house stuff

Referee: havent explained it to mrs yet

Fingerfood: I’ve already asked her

Fingerfood: LOL

Fingerfood: For the address

Fingerfood: Cause you didn’t answer

Referee: Plus gunner. Gonna have to apply through real estate.

Fingerfood: But yes okay

Referee: They might get knocked back

Fingerfood: Oh really

Fingerfood: Even if it’s break lease?

Fingerfood: I thought you told me to get him to

Fingerfood: That’s why I actioned it

Referee: Yeah break lease the landlord has to approve them

Fingerfood: Shit you know I move fast

Referee: Yeah all good bro there is not problems

Referee: Just a process for them to take it over

Referee: They gotta get approved with landlord and then accept the break lease

Referee: Do they have a rental history?

Fingerfood: No cos they’ve been living at home with dying grandpa but they can pay 3 months up front plus bond

Fingerfood: Then weekly payment

Fingerfood: etc

Fingerfood: Whatever it takes to make the breaklease work

Fingerfood: Grandpa has now passed a way (SIC)

Referee: Okay sweet. Will just have to go through process. Cant do anything until we haev a house and mrs likes it

Fingerfood: That’s the easy part.

Fingerfood:You’ll have any at your disposal

Referee: Sweet shes picky LOL

Referee: Created a monster you know hoe (SIC) it is

Referee: but all good just got shocked cause I haven’t spoken in detail with her thats all

Fingerfood: Thought you did cos tou (SIC) told me

Fingerfood: I’m morning LOL

Referee: Na havent spoken in detail

Fingerfood: Ahh true

Fingerfood: Okay no more than till you say

Referee: Yeah all good just explained it better to her now she all good

Fingerfood: Lmao was she freaking

Referee: hah yeah little bit

6DAYS AGO

Fingerfood: haha

Referee: current eta 3.30pm

Referee: To uc

Messages titled by police “Run 4. Gold Coat to East Maitland on 19 July 2021 - Delivery of product to Joshua Moore at Seven Hills”.

Threema chat titled Bally.

10 July 2021

Fingerfood: Hey team

Fingerfood: Ref will meet you in Bali a

Fingerfood: He will give you your payment

Fingerfood: Ballina

Fingerfood: Ref please send address at 1245pm when you decide where is safest

Bugs: (THUMBS UP EMOJI)

referee: Easy

Fingerfood: Are we all on time boys?

referee: (Address withheld)

referee: Yep all good on my end

Bugs: Yep same here

(PHOTO OF BICENTENNIAL GARDENS rest stop in Ballina)

referee: Im about 10 min away

Fingerfood: Sweet

Bugs: Hour for me

referee: How far off bugs?

Bugs: 18 mins

referee: Sweet

Bugs: Same car?

referee: yeah bro white one

Bugs: Sweet

referee: Park up front or next to me and hop in car

Bugs: No worries

referee: Done boys

referee: UC Eta to you is 2 hrs

referee: 3.45pm

Threema chat titled “Team A”

29 July 2021

Uncle Charlie: Just letting you boys know it won’t be happening until next week now. So enjoy the rest of week/weekend off gentlemen.

Referee: Easy bro!

Fingerfood: No worries

Threema chat titled “5german”

28 July 2021

Fingerfood: Yo ranger

Fingerfood: Ref will be coming back from city around 930-10

Fingerfood: He can pick up the 5

Fingerfood: That cool my bro?

Fingerfood: Around 10ish

Ranger: Sweet bro even better was gona come up

Fingerfood: Upto you but your still recovering hahahaha

Ranger: I know having soup to get me tiger the he can stop by even better haah

Fingerfood: Yeah sweet so just picking up the 5

Ranger: Yup done

Fingerfood: Ref that cool with you

Referee: Yeah bro on way back down anyway

Fingerfood: Sweet

Fingerfood: Thanks bro

Fingerfood: Then I’ll see ya after

Referee: Yep easy

Ranger: 8.30 be free if you wana make it earlier ref

Fingerfood: Ooooo that could work

Fingerfood: Better for u ref

Fingerfood: Leave at 8ish

Referee: Ok yeah sweet bro

Fingerfood: Just give location and he’ll be there

Ranger: Smith Road

Referee: yeah easy bro

Referee: on my way

Fingerfood: Sweet

Ranger: Sweet just got home

Ranger: ETA

Referee: 10 min

Ranger: Sweet bro

Referee: 2 min

Ranger: Sweet

Fingerfood: Sweet bro

Range: Done bro

Fingerfood: Sweet broski

Threema chat titled “Point”.

28 July

Fingerfood: Hey boys

Fingerfood: Ref will be coming

Fingerfood: With sour lemon

Fingerfood: Give details here roo

Goldenkangaroo: Legend! (Address withheld)

Referee: Sweet

Fingerfood: Ref heading up got a drop on the way

Fingerfood: Should make it by 9ish bro

Goldenkangaroo: Legend brother I’ll be there

Referee: On my way

Goldenkangaroo: Sweet bro. I’m about 10 off that address then have to race up and get coin

Referee: Easy

Referee: Im 10 away

Goldenkangaroo: Sweet bro. I’m just walknig to it now. I parked around the corner

Goldenkangaroo: Feel free too pull into the car wash bay

Goldenkangaroo: In the driveway

Referee: ok

Fingerfood: All goods??

Referee: 1 sec

Goldenkangaroo: All done. Thanking you very much (TWO STRONG ARM EMOJI’S)

Fingerfood: Sweet

Fingerfood: Lmk when you need more I’ll see what’s in stock

Goldenkangaroo: Cheers!

Run 7 - (Address withheld). Police allege delivery of three kilograms of cocaine to Joshua Moore and Seven Hills.

messages sent 3 August to 6 August

Referee: easy bro

Uncle Charlie: Fri morning you available

Referee: Absolutely brother

Referee: Hey bro Im up your way now

Referee: Is there anything i need to get off you

Uncle Charlie: Nah all good brother

Referee: Easy g

Referee: 5pm hunter is lockdown (WEB LINK)

Uncle Charlie: Will that effect us

Referee: Yeah so its hunter & upper hunter brother

Referee: So all of newy/muswellbrook/port stephens down

(MAP IMAGE)

Referee: Nabiac should be sweet

Referee: Its about an hour n half up

Referee: From usual spot

Uncle Charlie: Yep all good to do it. However must be quick changeover. Need to be in & out last time was waiting around for 5-10 min for nothing that’s all

Referee: No probs man just comm in group as pabs driver in there so can work in with each other

Referee: Easy bro!

Uncle Charlie: Will have another run Monday collect if you want it

Referee: Should be sweet bro

Uncle Charlie: :)

Uncle Charlie: you good

Referee: all g bro!

Uncle Charlie: Thanks my man

August 7

Uncle Charlie: Would you prefer to do a trip later in the week rather then (SIC) tomorrow night

Threema chat titled “Trip”.

August 5, 2021

Uncle Charlie: Can we please talk here ref?

Uncle Charlie: Please explain to pabs what the issue is

Referee: Yep easy

Referee: So all hunter & upper hunter is lockdown for a week. As of 5pm today.

Referee: Which includes Maitland/Newcastle/Muswelbrook/Port Stephens

Referee: Think theres few more

Referee: So will need to change location to before Nelson Bay

Referee: There is Nabiac?

Referee: Its about an hour n half from usual spot east mait

Referee: Or Coolongolook

Referee: Newcastle and Hunter lockdown announced. Newcastle and the Hunter region will go into a one-week lockdown after an unexplained coronavirus case in the area. The lockdown will go into effect at 5pm today. That includes the LGAs of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock, Dungog, Singleton and Muswelbrook.

Fingerfood: Pabs wil you be able to give me final figure

Uncle Charlie: He left the group

Uncle Charlie: 1005000

Fingerfood: Sweet

Uncle Charlie: 335x3 +5

Fingerfood: Done abs will sort as soon as I get to safe

August 6, 2021

Uncle Charlie: Hey boys

Uncle Charlie: So tonight I’m making every client pay delivery fee of $100-$200. That’s all your money on top who ever does them

Fingerfood: Sweet brother sounds good

Uncle Charlie: You guys happy with that

Uncle Charlie: Can you please drop 2 of the bricks to finder on way back maybe. Then just bring the 1 up to me please ref

Referee: Okay no worries

Uncle Charlie: Plan change. Please bring all up to save finder doing work then deliveries. Then drop Finder all paper :)

Uncle Charlie: I ordered another counter so I can ease load

Fingerfood: Yooo I can do no worries

Fingerfood: Sorry work being anal cause no sales

Fingerfood: Trying to tell them we’re in a lockdown hahaha

Uncle Charlie: Have you got a rough eta ref

Referee: Just getting feed boys

Fingerfood: What’s eta ref?

Uncle Charlie” No probs my man. L

Referee: To UC 5:30. Will leave coffs in about 15

Uncle Charlie: Ty

Uncle Charlie: Going to get you to park up road when you get here ref. Then we will go in my car to my place. Safer

Uncle Charlie: 7am Monday morning next trip if you want it

Uncle Charlie: Let’s hope you can beat 5:30 ref

Fingerfood: Yeyeee

Fingerfood: Smooth like butter!

Uncle Charlie: Just come straight to mine ref I made a park in my driveway for you

Referee: See you in hour

Uncle Charlie: Love you long time

Referee: About 20

Referee: Where did you want me to park bro

Uncle Charlie: Park in my driveway

Referee: ok easy

Fingerfood: All good boys???

Uncle Charlie: Good

Threema chat titled “Mission Impossible”

dated 6 August.

Pabs: Make sure everyone clears chats from this group plz

Uncle Charlie: Done