The Snitch: Justin Hemmes targeted by cocaine delivery syndicate
JUSTIN Hemmes was targeted by members of a cocaine delivery syndicate who hatched a plan to get in with the bar boss in the delusional hope of selling cocaine in his clubs.
THE Sunday Telegraph has today launched a new law and order column called The Snitch. Crime reporter Ava Benny-Morrison and court reporter Brenden Hills will reveal all the hot gossip from cops and the legal fraternity from the top end of town.
COCKY DEALER’S PIPEDREAM
JUSTIN Hemmes was targeted by members of a cocaine delivery syndicate who hatched a plan to get in with the bar boss in the delusional hope of selling cocaine in his clubs.
Hemmes and his PR rep did not return calls yesterday but The Snitch understands the dealers’ pipedream had no chance of becoming a reality.
There’s no suggestion Hemmes knew of the plan or would ever entertain such an idea.
The dealers got the idea when one of the syndicate’s drivers delivered a bag of cocaine to a person who worked as a senior member in Hemmes’ hospitality empire Merivale, according to July 2015 police material seen by The Snitch.
Realising the customer worked for Hemmes, the delivery driver called his boss and suggested there might be a chance of forging a business relationship with Merivale if they chucked in a few extra bags or grams.
The excited dealer told his boss his ultimate dream was to meet Hemmes himself.
“I want him to know who I am,” he told his boss. The dealers were jailed last year after pleading guilty and The Snitch has chosen not to identify them so we can tell this story. Their other customers included a TV celebrity and the head lawyer for one of Australia’s biggest restaurant empires.
AN HONEST BALLS-UP
THERE’S a lawyer at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions who might want to retake the cyber security class.
That’s because he unwittingly sent a dick pic to a very large pool of people. The Snitch won’t publicly shame the lawyer in question, who didn’t answer our calls yesterday.
The offending image was sent out on the messaging app Telegram, which enables encryption.
The problem? When you join Telegram it sends a message to all your phone’s contacts who also use the app, announcing you’ve signed up and displaying a profile picture — in this case a very naked man in a very confronting pose.
The Snitch suspects the lawyer was using the app to further his love life and didn’t know about the messaging feature.
One legal contact suggested we use the headline: “I hear you were exposed to a different member of the legal fraternity.”
Don’t give up your day job.
MY BOY WOULDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG
THE Snitch had the unfortunate task this week of breaking the news to a shocked mother that her son was facing charges of selling drugs to policeman Daniel Hadley — son of broadcaster Ray.
Shaquille Sione Moubayed, 20, who lives at home with his mum, was arrested on the night of August 3, moments after allegedly selling Constable Hadley cocaine at a northwest Sydney pub.
Hadley, who was charged with drug possession, had been on the radar of NSW Police Force’s Professional Standards Command before his arrest.
His alleged dealer, Moubayed, was allegedly found with 7.5 grams of cocaine in his car and a wad of cash.
Moubayed, who was charged with drug possession and supply, was granted bail but neglected
to tell his mother when he arrived home.
“My son hasn’t told me anything,” his shocked mother said last week.
“He has never ever been in trouble before. I didn’t bring him up that way.”
Moubayed was a talented footballer in his teenage years before taking up full-time work at Flemington Markets.
He is due to face Blacktown Local Court on September 10.
HANGING UP THEIR GLOCKS
THERE has been a changing of the guard at NSW’s investigative nerve centre,
the State Crime Command (SCC).
Since Police Commissioner Mick Fuller started the “re-engineering”, a number of experienced and respected investigators have been leaving the building.
The SCC exodus started last year with respected Homicide Squad Detective Chief Inspector Angelo Memmolo, who led the Lindt Cafe siege investigation, followed by Robbery and Serious Crime Squad boss Detective Superintendent Murray Chapman.
Drugs and Firearms Squad head Detective Superintendent Peter McErlain and Organised Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Tony Cooke are both on extended leave.
A shake-up at SCC last December merged some squads and meant commanders had to apply for their roles. One beneficiary was Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace, whose Gangs Squad merged with the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad last year to become the Criminal Groups Squad.
MY LEARNED IMAGINARY FRIEND
THERE is a rumour doing the rounds about a criminal lawyer with cheeky way of pinching clients from his competitors.
We’re told the lawyer visits jail on his weekends and sits down with inmates before delivering a very compelling sales pitch.
It starts with the lawyer saying “someone has paid me a lot of money to come and visit you, but they are so high up the criminal hierarchy that I can’t reveal their identity”. The alleged mystery crime boss wants the criminal to be represented by the lawyer.
The catch is there is no mystery crime figure and the lawyer is trawling the jails on weekends.
This ploy has worked a number of times and infuriated more than a few rival lawyers.
CUDDLY QC
SIX months in and we’re told the ranks of the state’s crown prosecutors are happy with Chris Maxwell QC at the helm.
Maxwell took the job of senior crown prosecutor in March after Mark Tedeschi QC vacated the role to go to the private bar.
One crown told The Snitch Maxwell’s inclusive approach is appreciated and he set the tone early into his time in the top job by sending an email to the prosecutor’s floor asking for feedback.
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