Bank analyst Lara Alali admits to supplying cocaine in Sydney

A credit analyst used her own Mercedes and phone number to deliver cocaine to customers when working as a “runner” for a Sydney drug syndicate, a court has heard.

Lara Alali, 27, pleaded guilty to ongoing drug supply and drug possession and appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A bank credit analyst used her own Mercedes and phone number to deliver cocaine to customers when working as a “runner” for a Sydney drug syndicate, a court has heard.

Lara Alali, 27, was due to be sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday, but her matter was adjourned after she pleaded guilty to ongoing drug supply and drug possession.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Alali worked as a credit analyst at the time and earned $85,000 per year when she became involved in a criminal syndicate where she took instructions from a “controller”.

Bankstown region enforcement squad started Strike Force Invermay to investigate the ongoing supply of cocaine across central and south west metropolitan areas in June 2022.

Police used covert electronic and physical surveillance techniques and telephone intercepts to monitor the drug ring.

Lara Alali will be sentenced in May for supplying drugs. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Investigators identified a “controller” who used a central mobile phone to accept orders from customers through text messages or encrypted apps before runners would deliver cocaine.

Police identified a man who was allegedly the “controller” and Alali as a runner, who would use her black Mercedes and personal phone number.

On September 16, investigators were surveilling Alali’s car in Condell Park when a man walked towards it and got inside.

Alali was driving while the “controller” was allegedly in the passenger seat.

The man sat in the rear for about a minute before he walked away.

Telephone intercepts showed the man had arranged to purchase one gram of cocaine in exchange for $500 with the deal occurring about 3.45pm.

Investigators followed Alali to Arncliffe where another man got in the car and left after a minute, with phone records showing the customer had arranged to purchase two bags of cocaine about 4.15pm.

Later that night Alali carried out another drug supply.

Alali was pulled over in a vehicle stop on October 14 before the car was searched.

Police found a small bag of cocaine weighing one gram in a cavity under the steering wheel.

Alali claimed to have no knowledge of the drugs.

Alali will be sentenced on May 18 after a pre-sentence assessment report is prepared.