Police charge man over alleged role in Sydney cocaine syndicate

AN accused drug dealer arrested at the fatal Defqon music festival has been charged over his alleged role in a Sydney cocaine syndicate which has been under investigation for several months.

• Defqon drug accused pleads guilty

AN accused drug dealer arrested at the fatal Defqon music festival has been charged over his alleged role in a Sydney cocaine syndicate which has been under investigation for several months.

Alexander Naberezhnon claimed to be a mule at the hard trance rave where two revellers died of suspected overdoses and a dozen more were hospitalised in September.

But police allege the 26-year-old was under surveillance in the lead up to the deadly concert and allegedly sold 193 grams of cocaine on three separate occasions at Cheers Bar on George Street in Sydney’s CBD.

Screen grabs from visoin of the Defqon Music Festival, held in Penrith, Sydney, 15 September 2018. Two people have died, 2 remain in critical condition and 700 were treated for drug related incidents at the Music Festival. Picture: Q-Dancehttps://www.q-dance.com/en/

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It will also be alleged he attempted to sell two kilograms of MDMA during the covert operation.

Detectives attached Surry Hills Region Enforcement Squad also arrested and charged one woman and two men with their alleged involvement in cocaine syndicate based in Sydney’s CBD.

The Parklea man was arrested at a Sydney jail on Wednesday and did not appear at Central Local Court when his matter was briefly mentioned on Thursday.

He was formally refused bail charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs, supplying drugs on an ongoing bases and three counts of supplying larger than an indictable quantity of drugs.

Joseph Pham died at the Defqon. 1 festival after a suspected drug overdose. Picture: Facebook

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These charges are in addition to Naberezhnon’s Defcon drug supply charge, for which he fronted Penrith Local Court earlier this month wearing a “Cocaine and Caviar” brand hoodie.

Naberezhnon claimed he was paid $300 to carry ecstasy pills and mobile phones into the event.

“He is what is commonly described as a mule,” Magistrate Peter Ashton said.

“If someone gets a dud dose and dies then he’s just as complicit as the real supplier.”

Edensor Park man Joseph Pham, 23, and a 21-year-old Victorian woman suffered heart attacks at Sydney International Regatta Centre, bringing Defcon’s drug overdose death toll to four in five years.

There is no suggestion drugs sold by Naberezhnon caused the deaths.