Hassan Samaha charged over drug supply in dial-a-dealer syndicate

A stash of loaded glock pistols, half-a-million dollars and a run phone were allegedly uncovered inside the homes of accused drug-controllers from a “sophisticated” dial-a-dealer syndicate following a spate of police raids across Sydney.

Hassan Samaha appeared before Bankstown Local Court via audio visual link on Thursday. Picture: Robert Pozo

A stash of loaded glock pistols, half a million dollars and a run phone were allegedly uncovered inside the homes of accused drug-controllers from a “sophisticated” dial-a-dealer syndicate following a spate of police raids across Sydney.

Hassan Samaha, 26, was denied bail at Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday over 23 charges, including eight counts of drug supply less than indictable quantity, knowingly direct activities of a criminal group and seven counts of taking part in indictable drug supply.

Documents tendered to court state Samaha was arrested on April 10 after he knowingly took part in supplying drugs, including 41g of MDMA from November 2023 to March 2024.

Generic photo of cocaine, one of the drugs Samaha is accused of knowingly taking part in supplying.

He also knowingly took part in supplying 4.18g of cocaine in Woolloomooloo, 4.45g in Woollahra and 6.2g in Ultimo from 2023 to 2024.

Samaha’s lawyer read from police facts his client was alleged to be one of three ‘controllers’ for a criminal group known as ‘Dexter’ and shared a run phone with his co-accused.

“These facts do not disclose the times at which the phone, said to be the run phone, was in possession of any of these people, it’s just a bold assertion they shared possession of the run phone,” he said.

Half a million dollars in cash was allegedly found inside the home of one of the co-accused. Picture: Stock Image

He said the phone played a role of “pass the parcel” between his client and the two alleged controllers and wasn’t in Samaha’s possession during his arrest.

During a search warrant of one of the co-accused, Mr Hughes said police located “56 grams of cocaine and $27,000 in cash” while the second alleged controller had “half a million in cash, two loaded Glock pistols” and the run phone.

The prosecution argued that while the phone wasn’t found at Samaha’s house, police allege the 26-year-old and his co-accused had pin-numbers to access the device and would “book safe houses for the syndicate”.

Police arrested Samaha in April. Picture: Gaye Gerard

“This is a sophisticated dial-a-dealer syndicate, given the sheer number of runners involved,” he said.

Magistrate Glenn Walsh denied Samaha bail and argued “focusing on the lack of finding drugs, guns and money when he was arrested is simply one aspect of circumstantial evidence”.

Mr Walsh said CCTV cameras caught Samaha and his co-accused using the phone and phone towers tracked the device’s movements which gave the prosecution an “overwhelming case”.

Samaha’s bail from a previous unrelated matter was revoked and his case was adjourned to the Downing Centre Local Court for June 6.