NSW street level drug dealers exposed
From tradies and university students trying to make extra money on the side to a mum of three and hotel owner, these are the NSW street level drug dealers that have been punished.
Hyperlocal
Don't miss out on the headlines from Hyperlocal. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Street level drug dealers continue to be a “burden” on the community, according to local court magistrates across NSW.
Whether it’s cocaine, MDMA or cannabis, dealers operating at street-level – often with dial-a-dealer set ups – are continuing their activities across Sydney and regional NSW.
In Manly court while sentencing a man for supply, Magistrate Lisa Stapleton said drug dealing “shreds the social fabric”.
“It destroys the capacity of people to work … and it’s a burden on the community,” she said.
Other magistrates have not held back when sentencing including Magistrate Michael Barko who scolded a carpenter in Waverley Local Court as an “idiot” and “wannabe gangster” for ruining his life and bringing “shame” on his family.
“You can forget about any government jobs. You can forget about travelling around the world, you’ve just ruined your career for a lazy 50 bucks. Your life’s ruined,” he told the young man.
Here’s a list of street-level drug dealers that have been dealt with in NSW local courts.
Joseph Kendoh
Young Punchbowl dealer Joseph Kendoh was caught after he sold 125 bags of cocaine while working as a “runner” for a highly organised criminal syndicate.
He faced Downing Centre Local Court on May 26 after he pleaded guilty to dealing with the proceeds of crime and two counts of supplying an indictable prohibited drug.
Police had been investigating, under Strike Force NORTHROP23, criminal syndicates distributing cocaine and MDMA to “street-level customers” using dial-a-dealer methods.
Magistrate Greg Grogin sentenced Kendoh to a 10-month intensive correction order in the community with a condition he complete 100 hours of community service work.
Mcauley Punga Lopeti
Mcauley Punga Lopeti, 23, of Botany, was caught doing “dial-a-dealer” cocaine sales out of a rental car in the Manly CBD.
The unemployed construction worker pleaded guilty to charges of supplying an indictable quantity of prohibited drug and dealing with the property proceeds of crime after he was found with $12,650 in cash in the car’s centre console and $1100 in his wallet as well as eight small resealable bags of cocaine in the driver’s side door.
Manly Magistrate Robyn Denes gave him a tongue-lashing when she sentenced him.
“If you want to be a gangster, do it on your own turf,” she said as she hit him with an 18-month Intensive Correction Order and 200 hours of community service.
Jodie Donegan and Justin Caunter
Western Sydney man and woman Jodie Donegan, 45, and Justin Caunter, 31, were caught selling drugs out of their Holden Commodore near a popular Bondi pub.
The pair, from Orchard Hills and Glenmore Park respectively, pleaded guilty in Waverley Local Court on January 7 to supplying drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The duo were caught by police outside the Royal Hotel in Bondi on December 7 amid a crackdown on dial-a-dealers across Sydney.
Caunter was caught with 24 small resealable bags of cocaine, totalling 24.5g.
They were sentenced in the Waverley Local Court on February 25 to nine months behind bars each, both with a non-parole period of four months.
The pair later successfully appealed their sentences, with Donegan re-sentenced to a 14 month intensive corrections order in the community and Caunter re-sentenced to a three year intensive corrections order in the community.
Azzam Yaghi
A “street level” dealer who was bailed to a Central Coast rehabilitation centre was sentenced for supplying drugs to continue to fund his stay at the facility.
Azzam Yaghi, who was 43 at the time of the offences, was sentenced in Gosford District Court in February to three years and three months in jail for supplying prohibited drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime during his stay at the now defunct Niagara Lodge.
Yaghi’s lawyer told the court his client had committed the offences for “financial reasons” because he needed to make payments in order to continue his occupation and rehabilitation at the facility.
Anthony Hatem
A clever police sniffer dog discovered a secret compartment in drug dealer Anthony Hatem’s car containing a stash of 16 bags of cocaine meant for his customers on the northern beaches.
Hatem, 27, a tradesman of Lidcombe, was pulled over in Beacon Hill after police followed him from Manly when they became suspicious about his activities in the seaside suburb.
As well as the coke, the cops found $250 in cash and a folding knife with an 8cm blade.
Hatem pleaded guilty to one count each of supply a prohibited drug, deal with the property proceeds of crime and custody of a knife in a public.
Manly Local Court sentenced him to 12 months home detention.
Christopher Sok
A magistrate has branded a drug dealer as a “wannabe gangster” and an “idiot” after he was caught sliding western Sydney cocaine into the eastern suburbs.
Cabramatta man Christopher Sok, 19, was sentenced to a two-year community correction order at Waverley Local Court in July 2024 after pleading guilty to indictable drug supply and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Documents tendered in court state police were patrolling an area around Bondi Beach about 10.30pm on May 24 when watched a man hop into Sok’s Toyota Camry before quickly exiting. Police pulled Sok over on Gilgandra St where he confessed to having drugs in the car.
Police searched the vehicle before seizing 13 clear reusable bags containing cocaine which was later confirmed to weigh 8.3g. A wallet with $600 cash was also seized.
In court on Wednesday, Magistrate Michael Barko slammed the carpenter for ruining his life and bringing “shame” on his family.
He also described Sok as a “wannabe gangster” and a “patsy” who helped put “millions in the walls” of higher level drug suppliers in western Sydney.
Sean David Byrnes
An Ocean Shores stonemason was busted with 168g of cocaine after police found illegal substances compartmentalised in a makeup box.
Sean David Byrnes faced Byron Bay Local Court in December 2024 where he pleaded guilty to six counts of drug supply and four counts of drug possession.
Court documents state police pulled Byrnes’ silver Nissan over on Gulgan Rd, Brunswick Heads, on July 20 shortly after he had parked in an area known for illegal activity.
Officers found a small amount of cocaine on him before they searched his car where they located a makeup box filled with a cocktail of drugs.
Each box compartment was organised by drug type with the top shelf housing 11g of MDMA, the second self consisting of 49g of cannabis and the bottom shelf storing 55g of cocaine.
Magistrate Karen Stafford said she had lost count of the number of people she had dealt with for using illegal drugs.
Byrnes was sentenced to jail for 18 months with a non-parole period of six months.
Alexander Impey
A northern NSW hemp shop owner who spent more than a month behind bars, some in solitary confinement, was sentenced for drug supply – over what was largely coconut oil, a court heard.
Alexander Impey was sentenced for large-scale commercial drug supply in Coffs Harbour District Court in February 2024 after pleading guilty to supplying greater than a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug – cannabis oil – and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Charges stemmed from the sale of the oil via the Bellingen Hemp Store which Impey owned at the time between late 2019 and mid-2021.
The product Impey was selling contained as little as two per cent THC, his lawyer told the court.
He was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community correction order.
Nigel Stuart
A street-level dealer who was caught with 1.2kg of GHB and over $11,000 sold drugs to fuel his addiction, a court heard.
Nigel John Stuart, 45, was sentenced in March to a maximum term of 40 months in jail after pleading guilty to several charges, including supplying a prohibited drug, possession of a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Officers spotted Stuart riding his bike at Mingara on the NSW Central Coast, where he was cautioned and arrested before being taken to Wyong Police Station. A search of his bag uncovered $11,330 in cash, a tick list, and 1.2kg of GHB.
Maisam Awaz
A magistrate called a young drug dealer a “dishonest thief” and an “idiot” after the teenage retail worker was caught selling cocaine in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Maisam Awaz, 19 from Stanhope Gardens, faced Waverley Local Court in September 2024, when he pleaded guilty to indictable drug supply and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Documents tendered to the court state police were patrolling around Bondi about 8.40pm on August 2 when they watched a man enter Awaz’s Kia sedan for a short period.
Police stopped the man and found him carrying a resealable bag containing a white substance.
Police pulled Awaz over and searched his car, finding a Chupa Chups container with $7600 inside, a black iPhone and eight resealable bags containing a white powder, which was later confirmed to be more than 7g of cocaine.
Magistrate Michael Barko blasted Awaz, calling him “lazy” and lamented that people his age saw supplying drugs as a way to “make some quick cash”.
Awaz was convicted and sentenced to a community correction order for 12 months.
“Dial-a-dealer” Mum
A magistrate slammed the “unbelievable” actions of a western Sydney dial-a-dealer, who travelled to the northern beaches to “spread misery” by dealing drugs with her kids in the car.
The single mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was so desperate to earn money to feed her family, she sold cocaine out of the vehicle with her three small children — including a breastfed baby — sitting in the back seat.
She was also found with bags of ecstasy and ketamine when she was arrested in October 2024.
While she was selling the cocaine for $300 a bag, her take was just $40, Manly Local Court heard.
The court heard the woman’s Toyota Aurion was pulled over near Manly Wharf just moments after police saw her sell a bag of drugs to a female customer in Victoria Pde.
The woman pleaded guilty to supplying a prohibited drug, dealing with property that was the proceeds of crime, and three counts of deemed drug supply. She was convicted and handed a community correction order along with 200 hours of community service.
Alec Kovac
A Maserati-driving drug dealer was jailed for three years after being busted selling methamphetamine and ecstasy from high-end designer bags across north Sydney.
Alec Kovac, 29, also had $13,200 in cash, deemed proceeds of the illicit drug trade, on him when he was arrested.
The Mosman man was sentenced for a string of offences, including two counts of supplying a prohibited drug, in Manly Local Court in November 2024.
The court heard Kovac was in possession of 102g of methamphetamine, known to its users as “ice”, when he was arrested in Miller St, North Sydney, early on August 10, 2023.
Police found that drug inside a Gucci bag he was carrying.
Henok Hailu
A “bright” university student with a distinction average has been called a “very lucky boy” for avoiding jail time after he was nabbed selling party drugs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Leumeah man Henok Hailu, 24, faced Waverley Local in May after pleading guilty to dealing with proceeds of crime and supplying a prohibited drug.
The student was caught selling 10 capsules of MDMA to a buyer at Bondi Beach in November last year after an interaction which police observed as “dial-a-dealer behaviour”.
Solicitor Paul McGirr represented Hailu, saying the matters were not his client’s “first rodeo”, as he had previously been before the court for supplying cannabis.
Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge described the circumstances of Hailu’s arrest as “predictable as usual”, referring to the high volume of “dial-a-dealer” type arrests occurring in the area.
Hailu was convicted and sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order.
Bradley McLean
Bradley McLean, 66, was selling cocaine and heroin to locals near his home at Avalon Beach.
McLean, who part owns a hotel in Bali, was selling the drugs to help fund his own heroin habit, Manly Local Court was told.
He pleaded guilty to a string of charges after police raided his home and found 31g of cocaine hidden in a bag of sand in his garage.
They also discovered six small bags of heroin, a set of portable scales, gloves and several mobile phones.
He was handed a 12-month Intensive Correction Order to be served via home detention.
Jason Jones
Jason Jones was just out on parole and back to his old ways, again selling ‘ice’ as a “street level supplier” before he came under the attention of Lake Macquarie Police who were investigating drug supply activities in the region.
A court heard he had been purchasing meth from an “upline supplier” and then went on to supply to fund his own drug habit before being caught out via telephone surveillance.
He pleaded guilty to the ongoing supplying of drugs, drug supply, dealing with the proceeds of crime and intentionally damaging property.
Jones was sentenced to two years and six months jail with a non-parole period of 20 months.
Cameron Fox
A mid-level cocaine dealer sourced drugs from a man who had bikie connections, then sold the drugs to a vast network of customers across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
In December 2024 in Newcastle District Court, Cameron Fox, then aged 30, was sentenced to six years and six months jail with a non-parole period of three years and three months.
He had pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of cocaine totalling more than 2.5kg.
He also pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial supply of cocaine, the supply of almost 245g of cannabis oil, dealing with the proceeds of crime relating to $67,500 in cash, possession of a weapon – a knuckleduster – and the possession of an unauthorised firearm.
The court heard officers intercepted Fox’s calls and listened as he discussed making deals from April 2022 until his eventual arrest four months later in August.
Check out the latest on Bathurst roads
The daily commute is better with a little planning. Here's some roads it might be best to avoid today
Everybody appearing in civil matters at Taree Local Court, Friday, June 13
Here is a list of civil matters listed at Taree Local Court on Friday.