Four men charged as Strike Force Spartan raids coast getaways of alleged drug kingpins

Having effectively disrupted city gang crime, Raptor detectives are turning their sights on groups operating in regional NSW which they say are “intrinsically linked” to overseas drug entities.

After driving alleged organised crime groups out of Sydney with “relentless targeting” of their activities, a specialist task force is now hitting “havens and hidey-holes” up the coast.

In a pre-dawn assault by Strike Force Spartan this week, heavily armed police simultaneously raided four Central Coast properties, allegedly seizing drugs, cars, firearms and ammunition, dismantling a drug lab and arresting four alleged “key players” in an alleged cocaine syndicate.

Detective Superintendent Grant Taylor told The Sunday Telegraph the raids were part of the “heavy-lifting” work of the multi-agency task-force which had been tracking suspected organised crime syndicates along the state’s eastern seaboard as they searched for a safe place to restart their business.

“We’ve been very proactive in interrupting these groups in the Sydney metropolitan area, and with that relentless targeting of them we’ve seen a lot of individuals have either left the country or moved outside of the Sydney metropolitan area,” Detective Superintendent Taylor said.

“By and large, we think they’re doing that in an attempt to evade the constant scrutiny of our squads, both the covert criminal groups squad and the overt actions of Raptor. In other words the organised crime is spreading up the Central Coast to havens and hidey-holes and we are smashing it.”

Police arrested Michael Gow at his Ourimbah home and he is facing a variety of charges.

In late 2022, detectives from the National Anti-Gangs Squad (NAGS) — comprising officers from the State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups Squad and Australian Federal Police — commenced an investigation under Strike Force Spartan into an alleged organised criminal syndicate facilitating the supply of prohibited drugs, mainly cocaine, on the Central Coast.

Then, in January, NSW Police set up the north arm of Raptor, with 29 full-time staff based in the Hunter.

David Crosio-Mochalksi is arrested at Empire Bay. Picture: NSW Police

A “primary motivation” for the strike force was disrupting the activities of alleged criminals with properties along the coast who “seem to be happy to flaunt it more in regional areas because they seem to think they are away from our eye,” Supt Taylor said.

“We are very much looking at those individuals on a day-to-day basis, looking at properties and ownership, gathering covert intelligence and joining dots.

Police and Raptor Squad officers raid a house in Ourimbah.

“We use the latest technology, undertaking electronic surveillance on various platforms and using legislation available to us to examine encrypted devices.”

Having the ability to deploy Raptor North with very little notice had added to the efficiency and success of the strike force.

Police co-ordinate their movements before a search.

Money scattered on the ground at one scene.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of the State Crime Command Jason Weinstein said: “This is only the beginning of intense targeting of organised crime and OMCG activities in NSW.

“Be warned, if you think leaving a metropolitan area to continue to harm the communities of NSW, State Crime Command in partnership with other law enforcements agencies are determined to dismantle you.

“We will tirelessly pursue these groups and their assets.”

The start of one pre-dawn raid on the Central Coast.

AFP Detective Superintendent Kristie Cressy said groups operating in regional NSW are “intrinsically linked” to overseas entities.

“We have found the best way to combat them is to target them on multiple fronts,” she said.

“The National Anti-Gangs Squad works in concert with NSW Police targeting groups and their direct impact on the community.

“The AFP’s International Network can then open up another front through sophisticated intelligence-sharing or joint operations with partner agencies overseas to target individuals trying to exploit the Australian community, and their drug importation and money laundering networks.”

Police officers and Raptor Squad members raid a house in Ourimbah.

Police arrested and charged four men.

As part of Thursday’s operation police executed four simultaneous search warrants at homes in Ourimbah, Empire Bay, Berkeley Vale and Chittaway Bay.

The raids followed an ­operation on March 30 at a storage facility in Berkeley Vale, where they seized seven firearms, two gel blaster ­pistols, 500 rounds of ammunition, motor vehicles, ­electronic devices, steroids, prohibited drugs including cocaine, heroin and cannabis, cash, documentation, ­clothing and items consistent with the manufacture of ­prohibited drugs.

All four men arrested appeared in various courts on Friday and were refused bail.

Oliver Dedich of Berkeley Vale, 39, was charged with 15 offences, including supplying prohibited drug — large commercial quantity, supplying cannabis, participating in criminal groups, contributing to criminal activity and possessing unauthorised pistol.

Chittaway Bay man Aeron Bird, 38, was charged with 10 offences, including supply prohibited drug – large commercial quantity, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, and possess unauthorised firearm.

David Crosio-Mochalksi, 27, of Empire Bay, was charged with supply prohibited drug – large commercial quantity, supply cannabis, supply prohibited drug, participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, and recklessly deal with the proceeds of crime.

Michael Gow, 38, of ­Ourimbah was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug – large commercial quantity, supply cannabis, supply prohibited drug, participate criminal group and contribute criminal activity.

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