Twins slapped with 26 charges each for allegedly running party drug syndicate
Red-headed 20-year-old twins Joel and Flinn Westman are the alleged masterminds behind an Illawarra party drug syndicate smashed by police last week.
Twenty-year-old red-headed Illawarra twins are allegedly at the centre of a major party drug syndicate that was smashed by police last week, responsible for the sale and distribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of cocaine and MDMA.
Twenty-year-old Coniston brothers Joel and Flinn Westman were arrested by police at their Wonson Street home on Friday, after police swooped on several properties allegedly linked to a “sophisticated” criminal network.
Ten people including the Westman twins were arrested and charged in relation to their involvement with syndicate last week after months of police surveillance resulted in simultaneous raids across Coniston, Unanderra, Woonona, Wollongong and Oak Flats.
During the raids, officers from Strike Force Yuppara seized weapons, large quantities of drugs as well as thousands of dollars cash, which police allege are the proceeds of the ring’s criminal activities.
Joel and Flinn Westman are the alleged leaders of the group, and were each slapped with 26 charges after their dramatic arrests on Friday, which occurred just four days after their 20th birthdays.
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The pair appeared at Wollongong Local Court on Monday via audiovisual link, where they were refused bail by Magistrate Roger Clisdell due to the seriousness of the alleged crimes.
According to police facts tendered to the court, police began investigating the twins’ “sophisticated and meticulously planned” syndicate three months ago, bugging their Coniston home with both cameras and audio listening devices.
During the months of surveillance, police recorded several lengthy conversations between Flinn and Joel, where they allegedly discussed the supply and sale of drugs, and were allegedly recorded “bagging” both cocaine and MDMA into sellable quantities.
The alleged kingpins were supported by their families on Monday, including their mother Janine McEvoy, who works as a high level public servant in the Illawarra
According to police facts, the twins are the alleged brains behind the syndicate, supplying large quantities of cocaine and MDMA to their close-knit network of suppliers, who sold to Illawarra partygoers in smaller quantities.
The court heard the twin’s brother Daniel, Joel’s girlfriend Nikita Campbell and her brother Colby, as well as a close friend Shaun Lane, were key players involved in the sale of the drugs across the region.
Police facts tendered to the court allege Daniel was one of the members responsible for selling the drugs to customers, while Joel’s girlfriend Nikita was responsible for the “day-to-day operations” of the syndicate.
The court heard listening devices in the twins’ home allegedly captured Nikita and Joel counting out more than $80,00 cash, believed to be obtained through drug sales. Police will also allege Nikita was heard weighing and bagging the drugs for sale at the Westman home.
Both Daniel and Nikita were granted bail on Saturday, and while Daniel was banned from contacting his brothers as part of the conditions, he was present for their appearance at court on Monday. Daniel is facing on charge of participate criminal group; three charges of drug supply and dealing with proceeds of crime, while Nikita is facing seven charges relating to drug supply and knowingly participate in a criminal group.
Shaun Lane also appeared in court on Monday, facing 20 charges relating to the supply of drugs, participating in a criminal group and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The 20-year-old was refused bail, with police facts alleging he was a “close associate” of the Wetsmans, acting as “street-level runner” for the syndicate, in which he supplied drugs to the general public on a near daily basis.
Police facts allege strike force investigators saw Lane carry out major drug deals at KFC Unanderra and Wests Illawarra, totalling $18,000 and $27,000 respectively.
Lane’s brother-in-law Graeme Ashford was also arrested during raids last week, and charged with five offences relating to the supply of prohibited drugs, dealing with proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal group.
Police will allege Ashfield was a small player in the network, and was at times responsible for the supply of cocaine and MDMA and would occasionally store the drugs and collect money for the syndicate.
In court on Monday, Ashfield’s defence lawyer argued he only knew his brother in law Shaun Lane, and had never met the Westman brothers. He was released on bail on a $5000 surety.
Colby Campbell was arrested at Wollongong Local Court on Saturday, where he was supporting his younger sister Nikita. Colby was slapped with five charges relating to the supply of prohibited drugs and participating in a criminal group, and was refused bail at court on Monday.
Police facts tendered to the court on Monday allege he would “at times bag and weigh” drugs for the syndicate, as well as count and deal cash following the drug sales.
The court heard that on July 31, video surveillance of the home allegedly captured Colby, Flinn and Joel counting out more than 4000 ecstasy pills at the dining table, before dividing them into 100 pill lots.
During the Strike Force Yuppara raids on Friday, Lake Illawarra detectives swooped on their another group allegedly linked to the syndicate, arresting David Ognenovski in Mount Keira, Thomas James Walton in Wollongong and Hunter Harrison from Oak Flats.
Police will allege Harrison was spotted leaving the Westman home with Flinn the night before the raids, returning a short time later with a package of cocaine.
Police facts allege the drugs were put into the boot of a car at the home that night, before it was discovered by police on Friday morning during the raids.
He faced court on Saturday on charges of supply prohibited drug and possess prohibited weapon, just over 24 hours after his arrest and was released on conditional bail.
Ognenovski was charged with five offences relating to participation in a criminal group and supply of prohibited drugs while Walton was charged with four offences.
Police will allege Ognenovski and Westman dealt cocaine and ecstasy, some of which was sourced from the Westman twins.
The pair faced Wollongong Local Court on Monday via audiovisual link where they were refused bail.
All 10 of the alleged syndicate members will return to court in October.
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