Revealed: How mortgage stress led Jesse Lindsay Holloway to deal drugs in an Aldi carpark
Drug dealer Jesse Holloway used the ‘dark web’ to lure in buyers then made a number of drug deals in an Aldi carpark on the northern beaches — all to relieve his mortgage stress, a court heard.
Manly
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An electrician who sold illegal drugs from the underground carpark of a Sydney Aldi supermarket so he could pay off his massive mortgage has been jailed for four years.
Jesse Lindsay Holloway, 29, of Mona Vale, took orders from his drug customers via a specially coded mobile phone messaging app.
Hollway pleaded guilty to 28 drug-related charges after he was arrested in the Aldi car park at Mona Vale on October 24 last year by officers from Strike Force Ladyfish, set up to tackle the supply of MDMA (ecstasy) and LSD on the northern beaches.
Police said he sourced ecstasy powder, LSD and cannabis from the “dark web” — part of the internet only accessible by using special software that allows users and website operators to remain anonymous or untraceable.
In the Downing Centre District Court on Friday Judge Ian McClintock sentenced Holloway
to an aggregate jail term of four years. He will be eligible for parole on August 23, 2021.
During a sentencing hearing in September, Mr McClintock was told Holloway used the money he earned from selling drugs to help pay off a $1.1 million mortgage on his Mona Vale flat.
Police said he used the acronym ‘spidermanmj’ to arrange the supply of the illegal drugs via an encrypted instant messaging network app called Wickr.
In a Police Facts Sheet tendered to Manly Local Court earlier this year police said they believed Holloway “has been supplying prohibited drugs in the Mona Vale area for several years”.
“Details of various drugs offered by (Holloway) indicate he may source the drugs via the dark web and is proficient in the use of encrypted messaging applications.
“Police submit (Holloway) is highly organised and capable of supplying large amounts of prohibited drugs,” the facts sheet said.
On September 13 last year, Mr Holloway was monitored and recorded by police allegedly supplying MDMA powder to a witness in the Aldi carpark in Bungan St.
“(Holloway) also provided the witness with a price list of other prohibited drugs he was willing and able to supply including MDMA, Ketamine, LSD and various types of cannabis leaf,” the facts sheet said.
“Between 19 and 20 September a series of encrypted communications were recorded as being sent by (Holloway) where he agreed to supply a witness with MDMA powder and 10 tabs of LSD for a total cost of $1600.”
Police found a large bag containing 12 white envelopes in his car “each marked with a code”.
Inside the envelopes were various amounts of cash totalling $5,515. Police also located a piece of paper with typed codes matching each envelope and a corresponding address.
When police searched Holloway’s flat they seized more cash “and a variety of other prohibited drugs including cannabis leaf, MDMA, Psilocybin mushrooms, LSD and cannabis oil.”