Strike Force Treceagle: Sonia Louise Quirk pleads guilty to five counts of drug supply

One of eight people charged after a series of sweeping drug raids across the Central Coast has pleaded guilty, making `full admissions’ to code words used in intercepted phone calls.

Eight people – three men and five women – were charged with more than 170 offences after raids by Tuggerah Lakes Police attached to Strike Force Treceagle. Picture: NSW Police

A woman who was monitored with an ankle bracelet and the “strictest conditions available” under house arrest still managed to supply drugs on multiple occasions, a court has heard.

Sonia Louise Quirk, 38, of Bateau Bay, appeared via video link at Wyong Local Court on Wednesday where she pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying a prohibited drug and two counts of knowingly taking part in the supply of drugs.

Quirk also pleaded guilty to intimidating a police officer after she delivered a foul-mouth rant at the custody manager following her arrest on March 16.

Quirk was one of five women and three men arrested and charged with more than 170 offences following a six-month operation by Tuggerah Lakes Police.

An agreed set of facts states Quirk was under “house arrest” and serving an intensive corrections order (ICO) when police established Strike Force Treceagle in September last year targeting the supply of the drug `ice’, GHB and ecstasy across the Central Coast.

Eight people – three men and five women – were charged with more than 170 offences after raids by Tuggerah Lakes Police attached to Strike Force Treceagle. Picture: NSW Police

“The accused is already on the strictest conditions available from her (intensive) corrections order and is still committing further drug supply offences while on this order and on home detention,” the facts state.

“As such police do not believe there are any suitable conditions available to stop her reoffending.”

Some of the drugs seized in the raid. Picture: NSW Police

As part of the strike force police conducted physical surveillance and obtained warrants to tap several mobile phones including one officers will allege was used by Cameron John McElroy, 38, of Bateau Bay.

“As a result, a substantial amount of evidence has been gathered in relation to the supply of prohibited drugs (allegedly) by these suspected persons, their mode of operations (and) that they and their associates were using coded and veiled conversations in an attempt to conceal their drug supply activities,” the facts state.

Police will allege in court Mr McElroy was a “street to mid-level” dealer of methylamphetamine and they allegedly identified Quirk as a “street level” dealer through intercepting his phone calls.

The facts detail dozens of intercepted phone calls between Quirk and a person police will allege in court was Mr McElroy, in which they organise the supply of `ice’.

Shortly after 10.30am on February 25 a police sergeant attended Quirk’s address to check her “GPS ankle monitor” which had not been working properly.

The facts state he activated his body worn video and she identified herself in the video and confirmed the mobile number she was using, which matched that intercepted by police.

Cash was also seized by officers attached to Strike Force Treceagle. Picture: NSW Police

On March 16 police conducted a series of five simultaneous raids on properties across the northern half of the coast including Quirk’s address.

She was arrested and taken to Wyong Police Station where she spoke to a solicitor who informed her to say nothing.

However Quirk agreed to participate in a recorded interview and provided a DNA swab.

“The accused has then made full admissions to these offences and agreed that the amounts and terminology being referred to was for methylamphetamines and the phone number used is her number,” the facts state.

She later verbally abused the custody manager who she called a “f..king mutt” and demanded she be released on bail.

Quirk was adjourned for sentence on May 17.

Her appearance came after several of her alleged co-accuseds also faced Wyong Local Court on Tuesday.

Mr McElroy, who was charged with 84 counts of supplying a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug, supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, driving while disqualified and dealing with property believed to be the proceeds of crime, was refused bail to appear on April 17.

Karen Leigh Eyre, 44, of Berkeley Vale, was charged with 30 offences including 15 counts of supplying a prohibited drug, 10 counts of supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and two counts of supplying drugs on an ongoing basis.

She did not make an application for bail and she was adjourned to April 18.

Seven of the eight charged faced Wyong Local Court on Tuesday and Wednesday. Picture: supplied.

Alyce Maree McElroy, 35, of Bateau Bay, was charged with 17 offences including 12 counts of supplying a prohibited drug, supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, two counts of supplying drugs on an ongoing basis and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

She was adjourned to face court again for a bail; application on April 11.

Rachelle Boyd-Skinner, 40, of Bateau Bay, was charged with nine offences including seven counts of supplying a prohibited drug, supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and supplying drugs on an ongoing basis.

She was granted conditional bail by police and it was continued for her to appear again on April 17.

Matthew Raymond White 34, of Bateau Bay, who was charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug and one count of supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug was adjourned to face court again on April 17.

The eighth person, a 35-year-old Killarney Vale woman, was granted police bail at the time and issued with a court attendance notice to appear on April 12 charged with seven counts of supplying a prohibited drug and taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs.