David Bui sentenced for role in large ice-supply syndicate across Hunter

A court has heard a Central Coast man was under the guidance of the former police minister’s brother Joshua Toole when he became involved in a large ice-supply syndicate across the Hunter.

Some of the drugs seized following raids and arrests by Strike Force Great in October 2022. Picture: Supplied/NSW Police.

Fighting years of addiction and a growing family, a Central Coast man went back to what he knew, supplying drugs in what was a large-scale ice ring spanning across the Hunter Region, driven by the former police minister’s brother Joshua Toole.

David Bui, 43, from Wadalba told Newcastle District Court on Wednesday it was “easy money” supplying methylamphetamine over a two-month period from August to October in 2022.

Part of his role was to arrange and leave five ounce quantities of ‘ice’ in a black pot plant at the front of his rental home, where he lived with his pregnant partner Tahley Anne Partland, to be collected with cash left behind.

But what the forklift driver – who went by the name ‘Spiderman’ – didn’t know was that their plans were busted wide open by an undercover police sting.

An operative from Strike Force Great was well ingrained in their operation.

David Bui was guided by Joshua Toole in a large scale drug syndicate in the Hunter. Picture: Facebook

Tahley Anne Partland was Bui’s pregnant partner and living with him at Wadalba when drug deals were made. Picture: Facebook

It was all under the guidance of Toole, labelled a “facilitator and employer” in the syndicate, who would communicate to his drug runners via the encrypted messaging app ‘Threema’, to co-ordinate ‘dead drops’ and deals.

Last month, Toole was sentenced to at least three years and six months jail for his role in over half a dozen drug deals involving over 1.8kg of meth in exchange for over $400,000, after he pleaded guilty to one count of supplying a large commercial quantity.

On Wednesday, it was Bui’s turn to receive his fate after a plea of guilty to two counts of drug supply and a charge of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime taken into account.

Joshua Toole, the brother of Police Minister Paul Toole, was jailed for his involvement as “facilitator and employer” last month. Picture: Facebook

The court heard Bui supplied 1.4kg of meth on ten occasions and when he was arrested in October 2022 during sweeping raids across the Hunter, the 43-year-old was found with another kilogram of meth and more than $150,000 in cash.

Giving evidence he told the court he was “remorseful” for his actions and how it could have affected the lives of people using it and their families if those drugs had got out into the community.

“I’ve been dealing with addiction most of my life, I would regret that so much, if drugs had got into community,” he said.

“It destroyed my life and my families life.”

Bui’s barrister Robert Hussey also quizzed his client about his feelings of getting his pregnant partner involved after Ms Partland pleaded guilty to knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. She was sentenced to an 18 month intensive correction order (ICO) in November last year.

“It affected me so much because she didn’t know what I was doing and the fact she was pregnant and I put her in jeopardy, and her family, put them at risk,” Bui said.

Strike Force Great detectives made sweeping raids and arrest in October 2022 over the drug operation. Credit: NSW Police

“I told him (Toole) I was going to stop before the baby was born.”

Mr Hussey said while it didn’t excuse his offending, it brought context that he was very excited about fatherhood but on the other hand, given his background, had insecurities and self confidence issues about providing for them.

He also played down Bui’s involvement in the operation.

‘This really is a backyard operation. He’s leaving drugs in a pot plant. It’s not sophisticated,” he said.

But the Crown Prosecutor argued his role shouldn’t be lessened as he had drugs in his house, cut them and then packaged them up for sale.

Peter Ninnes was also one of the men involved and he will be sentenced later this year. Pic: Amy Ziniak

Judge Roy Ellis sentenced Bui to four years jail with a non-parole period of two years and five months, which makes him eligible for release in March next year.

Paul Colvin who was also involved in the operation pleaded guilty to drug supply and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and was sentenced to at least two years in jail alongside Toole last month.

Peter Charles Ninnes, 44, was another one of the men involved and pleaded guilty to drug supply and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and will be sentenced in October.

But Ninnes also pleaded not guilty to drug possession and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime which will head to trial in November.