Rahab Cespedes admits to supplying cocaine for drug syndicate

A south Sydney woman ran a dial-a-dealer operation – sending out mass messages telling customers “we’re on tonight” – before directing her friends to deliver product to affluent suburbs.

Rahab Lopez Cespedes ran a cocaine syndicate from her San Souci apartment. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A beauty therapist who ran a dial-a-dealer cocaine syndicate sent mass text messages out to customers to drum up sales before she sent her two friends out to deliver drugs, a court has heard.

Rahab Lopez Cespedes, 34, ran the operation known as Emily and she employed runners who mainly delivered product on weekend nights.

In Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday Cespedes pleaded guilty to one count of supplying cocaine while three other charges for supply and participating in a criminal group were withdrawn.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Bankstown region enforcement officers established a strike force to investigate the syndicate which used a control phone to receive orders from customers before runners would deliver cocaine throughout Sydney including to affluent suburbs.

Investigators used telephone intercepts, physical surveillance and cell phone tower data to track Cespedes’ location and the sales carried out by a runner from June last year.

Cespedes pleaded guilty with lawyer Asiya Chebbo. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Documents state Cespedes was the only person using the control phone and was running the day-to-day management of the runners from her San Souci home.

She took control of the phone in July after the previous owner went overseas.

Mikaela Turner will be sentenced on Friday. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Between July and October 13, Cespedes was recorded to be involved either directly or indirectly in the supply of 125g of cocaine totalling about $64,000.

On July 28 she sent a mass marketing text message to contacts which read, “hey everyone, sorry about the delay. We had no car and no product. It’s been dry everywhere but the good news, we’re back on tonight!”

Police captured a message exchange where Cespedes said “let me know if you need me” before she was asked to supply cocaine to a customer for $500 in Gymea within the hour.

Cespedes sent another mass message the following night and told a customer to look out for a black car.

Police saw Cespedes drop off 1g of cocaine to a customer in Kirribilli on August 12.

On August 18 she sent another mass text message saying, “hey everyone we’re back in business with stronger stuff. Let me know if you need me.”

Lara Alali was sentenced earlier this year. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Cespedes then arranged with a customer in Bexley to sell two bags totalling 1g before she delivered it to him.

On September 16 Cespedes organised a $500 sale but told runner Lara Alali to drive her own black Mercedes while Cespedes was a passenger to Condell Park for a sale before they drove to Arncliffe to deliver another bag of drugs.

Police used physical surveillance to record another runner Mikaela Turner delivering cocaine to customers in Balmain, Kirribilli and Pyrmont on October 8 at the direction of Cespedes before Turner returned to the San Souci home.

Police also surveillance Cespedes, Turner and Alali attending Westfield Miranda and other locations as friends.

The third runner delivered cocaine to a customer at Smithfield Bunnings at the direction of Cespedes.

Cespedes’ home was raided on October 14 where they arrested her and Turner.

Turner, 29, sold 4.5g of cocaine in exchange for $2300 during one night and pleaded guilty to supplying prohibited drugs. She is expected to be sentenced on Friday.

Former bank analyst Alali, 27, was sentenced earlier this year to a two-year community corrections order and fined $3800 after she pleaded guilty to ongoing drug supply and drug possession.

Cespedes will be sentenced on December 3.