Alleged cocaine dealers front court after eastern suburbs police operation

Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs are attracting alleged drug dealers from as far as Rockdale and Airds in a bid to offload cocaine to cashed up customers, with four people nabbed and appearing in court this week after another major police operation.

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Alleged cocaine dealers hailing from as far as Rockdale, Sylvania and Airds have been caught by a police taskforce attempting to ply their trade in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, it can be revealed.

Four men have been charged by detectives after another major operation targeting the supply of cocaine to affluent customers in Double Bay, Bondi and Woollahra.

The crackdown comes just three months after Strikeforce Northrop nabbed 55 alleged “dial-a-dealers” operating out of Bondi and Coogee over a few weekends in May.

The ramping up in activity is the latest effort by police, who look to get a handle on drug offences where cashed up customers in the east were responsible for 218 per cent and 88 per cent increases over the past two years in cocaine dealing offences in the Woollahra and Waverley local government areas respectively.

Dzan Trnka leaves the Downing Centre today, he is one of four people facing drugs charges after a police operation in the eastern suburbs in July. Picture: John Grainger

The out-of-town suspects charged in the latest investigation, named Operation Express, have all appeared in court for the first time this week, with one caught in the sting pleading not guilty at the Downing Centre Local Court today.

Dzan Trnka, 24, from Rockdale, is charged with supplying cocaine on July 27 in Double Bay, where police also located $3805 they claim to be the proceeds of crime.

His lawyer Mr Ajaj today sought to have the matter adjourned for six weeks so a brief could be ordered, though Registrar James Wiseman said new instructions from the Chief Magistrate required a plea of not guilty to be entered in such cases moving forward.

Three others, Joseph Czuper, 26, Christian Galla, 26 and 20-year-old David Stipanovic all appeared in Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

The trio are all charged with supplying cocaine and dealing with proceeds of crime.

Of the total 48 gram haul of cocaine confiscated by police during the operation, it will be alleged 35 grams was located on Sylvania-based Stipanovic, who is accused of “acting suspiciously” on Glen Rd Bondi prior to his arrest.

Czuper, from Airds, is accused of supplying 5.1 grams of cocaine at 5.30pm in Woollahra

The quartet are all due to reappear in court in October.

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