Strike Force Watson: Six men from Canberra, south Sydney charged with alleged large-scale drug supply

More than 4000 MDMA pills and almost $1 million in cash has been seized in cross-border police raids targeting alleged large-scale drug supply in Canberra, south Sydney, and the Monaro region.

Police allege their covert officers paid more than $400,000 to obtain drugs from six people now charged over what they have claimed as a significant cross-border supply operation.

Officers will allege a 32-year-old Caringbah South man Jonathan Towers was the principal of a drug syndicate involving supply in Sydney, the NSW Monaro region and the ACT.

They will allege their undercover officers were able to buy 3.3kg of MDMA and 1.1kg of cocaine from the man’s syndicate at a cost of $430,000.

On November 24, when all six alleged syndicate members were arrested, police allege their witness had obtained 5500 MDMA tabs and 280g of cocaine following an arrangement between Towers and his 26-year-old partner Jemma Dann, and their four male associates.

About 11am, specialist police executed a search warrant at an address on Castelnau St in Caringbah South following the year-long investigation by Southern and Central Metropolitan Enforcement Squads.

Six people have been charged over their alleged roles in an illicit drug ring operating out of Sutherland Shire and Monaro. Picture: NSW Police

Drugs and cash worth more than $1 million were seized by police following the investigation into large-scale drug supply in southern Sydney and the Monaro region.

Police allegedly found and seized 4000 MDMA pills at the property, as well as about 280g of cocaine and $185,000 cash. The drugs were estimated to have a street value of more than $750,000.

Towers and Dann faces 15 and 14 charges of drug supply respectively, the most serious of which is several counts of large commercial quantity; along with dealing with the proceeds of crime of $130,000 and participating in a criminal group.

Towers was also alleged to have directed the activities of the criminal group.

Police allege the couple supplied 7.1kg of MDMA between September 2 and November 24, and 1.8kg of cocaine from October 14 to November 24.

Towers and Dann along with the three co-accused Albert Cobeta, Isileli Kirby and Raphael Kenny did not apply for bail before Sutherland Local Court and it was formally refused.

Chohan, Kirby, Kenny and Cobeta were arrested at the property and taken to Sutherland Police Station.

Shortly after the raid, police executed a second search at two homes in Caringbah South and Loftus.

Drugs allegedly uncovered during the raid.

Cobeta, 29, from Loftus in the Sutherland Shire, was charged with three counts of prohibited drug supply, taking part in prohibited drug supply, dealing with property crime proceeds and participating in a criminal group.

Kirby, 23, from Watson in the ACT from Loftus in the Sutherland Shire, was charged with nine counts of prohibited drug supply and participating in a criminal group.

Kenny, 26, also from Watson, was charged with 12 counts of prohibited drug supply, ongoing prohibited drug supply, knowingly dealing with crime proceeds and participating in a criminal group.

A fourth associate Mohammad Chohan, from Moorebank, did apply for bail, with his lawyer Ms Le telling the court the Moorebank man was only planning to have breakfast with his friend – Cobeta – and that he was not at all associated with the other four individuals charged.

Chohan was charged with prohibited drug supply, taking part in prohibited drug supply, and dealing with property crime proceeds.

Ms Le said Chohan was in the car when Cobeta was arrested, at a point where police allege Cobeta was assisting with the delivery of drugs to the police source in Caringbah South.

Detective Acting Superintendent Ben Kennis, at Sydney Police Centre, said central-metropolitan and regional police districts would work together to crack down on drug supply.

“There is no evidence there are prior interactions of any kind,” Ms Le said of Chohan and the other alleged syndicate members.

“This would be the only incident where an exchange occurred in front of him, yesterday when they were arrested.”

Ms Le also told the court Chohan supported his mother, who had significant health issues, and paid their mortgage with his limited means from his work as a crane operator.

Magistrate Phillip Stewart acknowledged Chohan had no relevant criminal history and was a person of prior good character.

“It’s suggested he was going for breakfast with the person driving the car, and it’s said from that his association was incidental, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Mr Stewart said.

“However there appears to be some back and forth with the facts, the defendant is certainly friends with Cobeta, and I’m not satisfied other people cannot assist with his mother’s health.”

Chohan’s bail was refused and his matter, along with the other three associates, returns to Sutherland Local Court on February 6 next year

Police allegedly found and seized 4000 MDMA pills at the property, as well as about 280g of cocaine and $185,000 cash. Picture: NSW Police

Simultaneously, ACT Police launched a number of searches on Thursday.

During the searches, police seized cocaine, MDMA pills and powder, $292,000 in cash, drug manufacturing equipment, cannabis, electronic storage devices, and mobile phones to undergo forensic examination.

The operation comes more than a year after the Southern Region Enforcement Squad launched Strike Force Sulphur to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs in the Monaro region, which led to the Central Metropolitan Region’s Strike Force Watson investigation of drug supply between Monaro and the Sutherland Shire.

Detective Acting Superintendent Ben Kennis said the operation showed the effectiveness of a multi-regional collaboration.

“It’s important these organised criminal syndicates understand the Central Metropolitan Region and regional districts will work together to investigate large-commercial drug supply,” he said.

“As well as holding those people who supply drugs to the community to account.”

Acting Superintendent Kennis said Strike Force Watson, although still ongoing, had reaped the benefits of co-operation.

“It’s been a brilliant success and a really good example of the co-operation between the two regions, but it is ongoing, and I anticipate further people will be arrested in the future,” he said.

Acting Superintendent Kennis said investigations would continue to ascertain how prolific the Monaro area was for MDMA and cocaine, as well as large-scale supply chains across the state.

But, he said, it was too early to link the activities to outlaw motorcycle gangs.

“That’s still under investigation, we’re collating all the evidence and ascertaining whether there are any links,” Acting Superintendent Kennis said.

Throughout the joint investigation, strike force officers have seized 4000 MDMA pills and 1.1kg of cocaine.