Abdulkerim Alpertunga and Cavit Alpertonga: Alleged cocaine cousins charged over drugs, cash

Two Illawarra cousins are facing serious drug charges after allegedly being caught with more than $200,000 worth of cocaine.

Two Illawarra cousins have been charged with multiple drug offences after nearly $80,000 and more than 400g of cocaine was seized earlier this week.

Abdulkerim Alpertunga and Cavit Alpertonga appeared in Wollongong Local Court via video link on Thursday where the court heard they were charged with supplying prohibited drug (commercial quantity – serious indictable offence); supplying prohibited drug (indictable and commercial quantity); and, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime – serious indictable offence.

Abdulkerim Alpertunga and Cavit Alpertonga have been accused of supplying a commercial quantity of cocaine. Picture: NSW Police

Alpertonga, 32, was granted bail, however, his younger cousin was not, with Magistrate Claire Girotto describing the 24-year-old’s record as “a real problem”.

The two were arrested on Tuesday after ongoing investigations by Strike Force Mote which was established by the Lake Illawarra Police District in May 2020.

In documents tendered to the court, police allege the cousins began leasing a 18sq m shed at the Kennards Self Storage in Warrawong in early January 2022 under the name of Alpertonga’s girlfriend, Chelsea Hogan with Alpertonga listed as the second contact.

Police will allege the space was used for the storage and supply of no less than 340.2g of cocaine between January 19 and February 15.

Investigators installed optical surveillance and listening devices in a shed which contained a green Nissan Silvia, dirt bikes and other items.

On January 19, it is alleged the cousins were seen in the shed opening the boot of the Silvia before Alpertunga unzipped his jacket and placed a small dark package in the boot.

Alpertonga was recorded entering the unit four times in the following week, including one time with Alpertunga, and each time was seen removing an individual knotted black latex glove from the boot.

It is alleged each glove contained 28.35 grams of cocaine with the total amount removed between January 20 and January 26 ranging between 340.2g and 453.6g.

On February 3, police allege Alpertonga secreted a package at the rear of the shed before returning eight days later, at around 2.50pm, when he was seen putting the package in his pocket before leaving.

That evening, just after 8pm, the pair arrived at the unit in a white Toyota Corolla hatchback which was registered in Hogan’s name.

Alpertunga had an A4-sized bag over his shoulder which appeared full. They tried to open the boot of the Nissan, but it appeared to be locked. They left the bag at the rear of the shed before leaving.

On the afternoon of Monday, February 14, police executed a warrant at the storage facility where they will allege in court they found a black Louis Vuitton shoulder bag under a car seat. Inside the bag police found $72,750 in cash.

Abdulkerim Alpertunga and Cavit Alpertonga were caught with nearly $80,000 in cash which police allege is the proceeds of crime. Picture: NSW Police

The following day, at around 11.45am, police pulled the duo’s car over on Winnima Way, Berkeley with Alpertonga driving the Corolla and Alpertunga in the passenger seat.

Police executed a warrant and searched Alpertonga’s Warrawong address before searching his cousin’s home in Berkeley.

Alpertonga’s sister was home at the time of the search where police will allege they located a single bundle of $8900 as well as an encrypted communication device.

Alpertunga’s mother was present when police arrived at the Berkeley property. In the laundry police located a large safe with a PVC pipe in it that contained an empty plastic bag.

They then searched the living room where they will allege found a box of black latex gloves, freezer bags, digital scales and an encrypted communication device.

While searching the backyard, police dug underneath a dog kennel where they allegedly found two knotted black latex gloves with a white rock substance in them which is believed to be a combined total of 67g of cocaine.

The cousins allegedly put the cocaine in black latex gloves. Picture: NSW Police

Both were taken to Lake Illawarra Command and charged with the drug offences.

In total police seized 79,650 in cash. Alpertunga won more than $53,000 on a poker machine on January 20, however, police allege none of the money seized came from his winnings given they located a receipt at his home showing all but $5,000 had been deposited into a bank account.

The total amount of cocaine seized was 407.27g which police estimate to have a street value of between $122,100 and $244,200.

Magistrate Girotto granted Alpertonga bail with the strict conditions that he must be at home at all times with police to attend multiple times a week, he must have no contact with Alpertunga, he surrender his passport, only have one mobile phone, offer a $40,000 surety and have another person agree to forfeit $20,000 if he fails to attend court.

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Magistrate Girotto refused to grant Alpertunga bail given he was on a community corrections order for possessing drugs, he had previously been sentenced to an intensive correction order for supplying drugs and he had a history of not complying with court orders.

The pair will be back in Wollongong Local Court on March 14.

As of February, 17, 2021, a total of 13 people have been arrested and charged and remain before the courts as a result of Strike Force Mote.