Alan Suarez, Yohana Mejia: Hillsdale couple’s alleged drugs operation

A couple from Sydney’s southeast allegedly used their home for “meal prepping”, repackaging and preparing cocaine to sell on to regular customers. Now a third person has been arrested in connection with the alleged drug supply operation.

Couple Alan Suarez and Johana Hernandez Mejia. Picture: Facebook

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UPDATE

A married couple from Sydney’s southeast accused of selling cocaine and other drugs to fund a lavish lifestyle have had their charges downgraded in court.

Hillsdale couple and parents Alan Suarez, 38, and Yohana Hernandez Mejia, 36, were arrested and charged in October last year following an investigation into the alleged supply of a large amount of cocaine.

The pair both had their matters mentioned in court again on Thursday.

The prosecutor told the court that Suarez, who remains in custody on remand, had allegedly been supplying drugs for a number of years and had been “living off the proceeds”.

The prosecutor also alleged that his wife, Mejia, knowingly took part in four drug supplies with her partner and was benefiting from the alleged drug operation.

However, the court heard many of the charges would be dropped and replaced with lesser offences.

Both co-accused were initially charged with supply a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug (cocaine) but that charge was dismissed on Thursday.

Suarez and Mejia have now been hit with new supply charges which relate to the supply of lesser quantities of cocaine and MDMA. 

A charge relating to dealing with over $1 million in the proceeds of crime was also dropped on Thursday.

The pair have both been charged with a new count of dealing with over $100,000 in the proceeds of crime.

Mejia remains on bail and will make a request to vary her bail conditions to allow her to contact her partner Suarez, during her next court appearance.

The couple has been in custody since their arrests. Picture: Facebook

In February strike force investigators announced they had arrested a third person.

A 35-year-old man from Newtown was arrested at Maroubra Police Station and charged with supply prohibited drug (indictable quantity) and knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime.

The trio remain before the courts

EARLIER

By Gary Hamilton-Irvine on October 28, 2020

A glamorous couple from Sydney’s southeast allegedly used hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money to buy luxury cars and fund their lavish lifestyle, a court has heard.

Hillsdale couple and parents Alan Suarez, 37, and Yohana Hernandez Mejia, 35, were arrested and charged last week following an investigation by Strike Force Ractari over the alleged supply of a large quantity of cocaine.

The strike force was set up by Eastern Beaches Police in May to investigate Suarez, originally from Colombia, and the supply of prohibited drugs.

Police have alleged in court documents that the pair supplied 268g of cocaine between May and October as well as other drugs such as MDMA and cannabis.

The pair have been in jail on remand since their arrest and Mejia applied for bail in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

During her unsuccessful bail application, the court heard her partner Suarez would allegedly use their Rhodes St home for “meal prepping”, a code word used in intercepted messages allegedly referring to the preparation of cocaine for re-sale.

The court also heard the couple, who have two children, allegedly had regular customers who they would sell drugs to.

During a lengthy investigation, police allegedly uncovered up to $800,000 of unexplained wealth between the pair, the court heard.

“Tax returns fall drastically short of being able to explain the wealth,” the court heard.

Magistrate Ross Hudson read out the police allegations which stated the pair had two vehicles worth about $80,000 each – a BMW and Lexus – and they spent about $11,000 on a credit card each month which was regularly paid off in cash.

Alan Suarez and Johana Hernandez Mejia. Picture: Facebook

The court also heard that police alleged the pair had been unemployed for about five years and were paying for their lifestyle with drug money, of which they made in excess of $5000 a week.

Police further alleged in court documents that between May and October the pair “did deal with the proceeds of crime (namely) $1,100,000 knowing that it was the proceeds of crime”.

After reading the police allegations, Magistrate Hudson rejected a claim that Mejia was simply an “observer” in the alleged drug enterprise and was rather an “active participant” alongside Suarez and refused her bail.

Police will allege in court that during a search of Suarez’s BMW and home, following his arrest, they found 86g of cocaine, over 500g of cannabis, a small amount of MDMA and more than $7000 in cash.

The pair have both been charged with a string of offences including supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity), and knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime.

No please have been entered.

Their matters have been adjourned until December.