Strike Force Shipley: Steven Anthony Masters-Whitehouse pleads guilty to large scale drugs, guns supply
A man who went by the nickname “MadMex” has pleaded guilty to supplying kilograms of cannabis and MDMA, along with pistols and a semiautomatic rifle, a court has heard.
Central Coast
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A Wadalba man has pleaded guilty to supplying a semiautomatic assault rifle for $50,000 along with other guns, cocaine, MDMA and kilograms of cannabis, a court has heard.
Steven Anthony Masters-Whitehouse was not required to appear via video link at Wyong Local Court on Tuesday where guilty pleas were entered on his behalf to eight offences including six counts of supplying commercial quantities of drugs and one count each of the ongoing supply of weapons and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
His pleas came two years after Tuggerah Lakes police established Strike Force Shipley to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs and firearms across the Central Coast in January 2020.
An agreed set of facts states police obtained authorisation in March 2020 to conduct an undercover operation where an operative communicated with Masters-Whitehouse — who went by the handle `MadMex’ — using an encrypted phone.
The facts state between March 31 and his arrest on June 25, 2020, Masters-Whitehouse supplied the undercover operative drugs nine times including 9kg and 8.97kg of cannabis for $62,000 and $64,000 respectively, almost 3kg of MDMA on three separate occasions for $26,000 each and 264.5g of cocaine for $76,500.
Masters-Whitehouse also arranged to supply the undercover operative 17.62kg of cannabis for $114,000 but it was not provided, the facts added.
The now 36-year-old also supplied the undercover operative with several firearms during the same period including a Norinco .45 calibre pistol for $35,000, a Smith & Wesson five shot .38 calibre revolver for $30,000, an Astra Falcon 4000 .38 calibre pistol for $28,000 and a KS30 calibre 7.62x39mm semi automatic assault rifle — similar to an AK-47 — with four magazines for $50,000.
The facts state the first exchange occurred in the car park of Central Coast Indoor Sports centre, Chittaway, shortly after midday on March 31, 2020, where Masters-Whitehouse provided 7g of cocaine wrapped in plastic and hidden in a work glove for $2000.
From there the facts state Masters-Whitehouse provided greater quantities of drugs including 9kg of cannabis by the side of Yarramalong Rd, Wyong Creek, on May 2 and another on May 6 where Masters-Whitehouse put the bag of cash he received into a mower catcher on the back of a trailer he was towing behind his Toyota Hilux ute.
On May 14 the undercover operative and Masters-Whitehouse met at his unit at Cubby Hole Storage, Warnervale, where he supplied 278.6g of cocaine before the conversation turned to the supply of firearms, the facts state.
On May 21 they met off St Johns Rd, Jilliby, where Masters-Whitehouse supplied drugs, a pistol and bullets for $61,000.
The facts state Masters-Whitehouse’s fingerprints were located on the bullets, which had been wrapped in a plastic bag.
On June 25, 2020, Masters-Whitehouse picked up 9kg of cannabis from two Sydney men at a car park off St Johns Rd when he was arrested by several police.
He was taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged with multiple offences and refused bail.
He will face Gosford District Court on May 26 to set a sentencing date.
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