Cody Ward, Shanese and Patricia Koullias: Callala Bay dark web syndicate in court
A baby-faced leader - known online as “NSWGreat” - has admitted to his role in running a sophisticated group selling large amounts of MDMA, LSD, amphetamine and other party drugs, conducting more than 10,000 transactions on the dark web.
The South Coast News
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The baby-faced South Coast mastermind behind a $17 million dark web drug syndicate has admitted to his role in the ongoing drug supply over the internet and through the post.
Cody Ronald Ward, known as dark web vendor ‘NSWGreat’, as well as sisters Shanese and Patricia Koullias, all admitted to their roles in a sophisticated network that sold large amounts of MDMA, LSD, amphetamine and other drugs on the dark web at Nowra Local Court on Tuesday.
Ward, 26, pleaded guilty to three counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and three counts of supplying a prohibited drug greater than a commercial quantity.
Ward pleaded guilty to importing 1651.99g of MDMA, 1916.5g of amphetamine and 88.308 tabs of LSD between 2018 and 2019. A number of packages were intercepted by Australian Border Force and NSW Police.
He also pleaded guilty to supplying 2759 tabs of LSD, 1.19kg of amphetamine and 225g of MDMA.
Seven charges were withdrawn by the prosecution and eight offences will be proceed to the district court for sentencing.
Shanese Koullias, 24, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying a prohibited drug greater than a large commercial quantity.
Patricia Koullias, 22, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying a prohibited drug greater than an indictable amount and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
In a draft copy of amended facts tendered the court, police outlined the detailed investigation into the drug supply that involved Ward using multiple names and post office boxes across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.
Ward had used the ‘NSWGreat’ moniker on dark web marketplaces such as Evolution, Nucleus, Abraxas, AlphaBay, Agora and most recently Dream Market since 2011.
From December 2015 to January 2019 he had conducted 10,500 successful transactions, documents said.
Documents referred to an interview he had where he was reported as the “most successful and longest-running dark web illicit drug vendor operating in Australia”.
Surveillance operations ran for nine months over 2018 and 2019, and captured Ward and both sisters dropping off packages of MDMA, LSD and amphetamine and postal boxes in Nowra and South Nowra.
Ward collected his imported drugs mailed to post office boxes under other names such as William Taylor, Ryan Print, Jackson Abbey, Oliver White and George Smith in Ulladulla, Warilla, Albion Park, Windang and Figtree.
Shanese Koullias would store and package orders at a Callala Bay home and deliver orders through Australia Post.
Packages ordered by police operatives were always addressed using a white adhesive label with addresses handwritten.
Ward would sign off with a signature that resembled letters “L” and “T” and the sisters would use signatures that resembled the letters “A” and “N”, documents said.
During a police search, officers uncovered 103,560 tabs of LSD, 764.22 grams of amphetamine powder, 529 grams of MDMA, 85.5g of dibutylone (amphetamine) powder, 259g of diazepam, 323 tables of oxycodone, 1.38g of morphine, 92 grams of DMT, 14.7 grams of cannabis leaf, 5.67 grams of cocaine $15,830 and a Lexus RC 350 purchased for $70,500.
Further search warrants revealed Ward stashed $62,796 in Australian foreign currencies and a number of NSW and Victorian driver’s licenses at his parents’ home in Callala Beach.
In an electronic interview Patricia Koullias, who was arrested at a Quakers Hill residence, stated she was paid about $100 per hour to package LSD tabs and $100 to drop off parcels. She stated she started around Christmas 2018 and would work in the syndicate one to two days a week.
The trios cases were adjourned to be mentioned at the District Court in Nowra on August 10.