Luke Reino Siponen pleads guilty to dealing cocaine after nearly two ounces seized at Waratah and West Wallsend

Luke Reino Siponen, who has admitted to dealing cocaine across parts of Newcastle, was seen leaving the same Waratah place seven times in one day.

To cocaine dealer Luke Reino Siponen, the ageing Waratah building was an out-of-the-way joint where he could quietly access his stash without the knowledge or prying eyes of others.

But there was one problem in Siponen’s cunning plan of playing drug dealing hide-and-seek – clued-up detectives who were watching his every move.

Siponen was committed on Wednesday to Newcastle District Court for sentence after earlier pleading guilty to two counts of supplying an indictable quantity of cocaine and one count of dealing in the proceeds of crime.

Luke Reino Siponen, who has admitted to supplying nearly two ounces of cocaine, outside Newcastle Local Court with his barrister Paul Rosser QC. Picture: Dan Proudman

A more serious charge of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug was withdrawn.

Agreed facts tendered in court stated detectives had watched Siponen as he entered the locked premises on Station Street at Waratah at least seven times on one day in September last year.

“On each occasion, the accused was observed to carry the keys and unlock the front door as he enters the building,” the agreed facts stated.

“Police believe the accused was using the premises to store large amounts of cocaine.”

Luke Reino Siponen. Picture: Facebook.

The surveillance was enough for detectives from Operation Megig, which had been set up nine months earlier to investigate the supply of cocaine across Newcastle.

Siponen was arrested the next day as he was driving his Mercedes Benz out of his West Wallsend home.

Agreed facts said before his arrest, police had “observed the accused engaging in conduct consistent with the supply of prohibited drugs” including using a blender to mix up his gear, transferring white powder into smaller quantities and handling cash before storing it in a book safe.

And when detectives pounced on September 23 last year, they found a lot more in the West Wallsend home than resealable bags and some white powder residue.

The agreed facts said police also seized a money counting machine, a set of electronic scales and the safe which contained $5250 in cash.

Police seized almost two ounces and $6000 during raids on premises linked to Siponen. (File picture)

They also found about 8 grams of coke and 22 vials of the steroid Somatropin.

A set of keys, which were used to open the safe, were also able to access Siponen’s little coke stash at Waratah.

And it was there that detectives found Siponen’s stash of just over 52.6g of cocaine – or close to two ounces.

Detectives also seized a Jeep STR, which Siponen had paid $62,000 for in cash just 11 days before his arrest and transferred it into his de facto partner’s name.

Siponen, who is on Supreme Court bail with a long list of conditions including he forfeit $20,000 if he fails to appear in court, is due to appear in Newcastle District Court on May 5 to fix a date for his sentence.