Bryce Ellis and Kurt Howlett charged with cocaine supply
Two mates accused of running a significant cocaine ring out of a swanky Sydney beachside suburb have learned police will pursue dozens of charges against them at trial.
St George Shire Standard
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Police will pursue dozens of charges against two men accused of running a significant alleged cocaine syndicate in Sydney’s south.
Drugs and Firearms Squad detectives allege surfing sales executive Bryce Ellis, 27, was dealing cocaine all over Sydney on a near-daily basis at times between December 2018 up until the day he was arrested at his Caringbah South home.
Police say his friend Kurt Howlett, 29, was helping him do deals and his court papers reveal police have audio and video evidence of the pair’s alleged criminal misdeeds.
The pair were initially refused bail at Sutherland Local Court in July 2019 but are now at liberty ahead of a criminal trial after police finalised the charges against them on Thursday.
Ellis now faces 39 charges in total, including 26 charges of prohibited drug supply, two charges of ongoing prohibited drug supply and one charge of having an unauthorised firearm.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Police withdrew an additional six charges including directing a criminal group, deriving financial benefit from a criminal group and second charges of possessing an unauthorised firearm and ongoing prohibited drug supply.
Howlett now faces 14 charges related to prohibited drug supply after police withdrew one charge of participating in a criminal group.
He has also pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The pair will next face Downing Centre Local Court for mention on April 2.
Ellis was arrested when the Drugs and Firearms Squad raided his home on July 25 last year after a seven-month investigation into cocaine supply across Sydney allegedly uncovered 16g of cocaine, replica firearms, drug paraphernalia and $2300 in cash.
Police allege he dealt cocaine on several occasions in Caringbah, Woolooware, Cronulla and Sydney between December 7, 2018 and July 25, 2019.
Howlett, who was granted bail to reside with his mother in Woronora Heights, was arrested the same day and charged with dealing cocaine several times between February 20 and July 25 last year.
Facebook posts at the time showed Ellis surfing and celebrating his 25th birthday in 2016 on a private 100ft yacht on Sydney Harbour with almost 40 friends.
His LinkedIn profile reveals he works for a global platform software and design company enlisted by telcos, broadcasters, cinemas, hotels and airlines with clients such as the BBC, Emirates and Qantas.
On June 23 Howlett posted a meme sending up women who, after a bad break-up, call police to report their exes as drug dealers.
“Haha nearly every chick in the Shire!!!” Howlett wrote above the post.