24 drug traffickers across Victoria unmasked
Almost 85 per cent of all drug cases prosecuted through Victorian courts end up with a guilty outcome. Meet some of the traffickers who met Johnny Law and didn’t like the outcome.
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Drug crimes are among some of the most common principal offences committed in Australia today, accounting for one in 10 defendants finalised in the Magistrates Courts.
Of the 96,587 offenders prosecuted by police across the state in 2020-21 — the last year for which Australian Bureau of Statistics data is available — 5 per cent were related to illicit drugs.
Victoria was the only jurisdiction to record an increase in defendants of illicit drug offences, up 14 per cent.
However, this increase was in large part due to the finalisation of delayed court cases, given Recorded Crime – Offenders reported a decrease in police records for this offence 2021–22.
And of the 5054 drug offences prosecuted, almost 85 per cent had guilty outcomes.
Drug dealing in particular remains rife across the state, with Herald Sun covering dozens of relevant sentences in the past year alone.
The names of 24 drug dealers recently sentenced in Victorian courts can now be revealed. See the list.
Luke McNally and Wayne Doble done for trafficking meth, cocaine
A bodybuilder and former Mr Australia nicknamed ‘The Hulk’, who took covert police officers to an old brothel where he was doing drug rehab to sell them a bag of meth has been jailed.
Luke McNally, who ran the nation’s largest supplements chain Mass Nutrition was sentenced to 17 years’ and eight months’ jail in the County Court on Monday after a jury found him guilty to dozens of drug-related charges.
He was found guilty of trafficking by manufacturing large commercial quantities of MDMA, methylamphetamine, P2P and cocaine.
Co-accused Wayne Doble, 65, was sentenced to five years’ and three months’ jail on charges of manufacturing and trafficking in a commercial quantity of MDMA, and possession of scientific glassware, equipment and substances for the purposes of trafficking.
He must serve a minimum non-parole period of three years and three months.
Frank Zampogna burnt while trying to cook meth
A meth head with aspirations of becoming a commercial pilot came crashing down to earth after burning himself while attempting to cook the illicit drug at two clandestine labs.
Frank Zampogna popped up on the police radar when he went to the Peninsula Private Hospital after suffering first and second degree burns to his hands and legs.
The unemployed 42-year-old pleaded guilty in the County Court to charges of trafficking in a drug of dependence and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
He was sentenced to two years and nine months imprisonment.
Sun Luu caught importing nearly 12kg of meth
A senior citizen who should have been enjoying his twilight years has paid a heavy penalty for trying to smuggle 12kg of meth into Melbourne.
Sun Luu has been jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty in the County Court to a charge of importing a commercial quantity of a border control drug.
The Vietnam-born, Canadian citizen and California-based man arrived in Melbourne with a woman on the morning of June 8, 2022.
Luu’s intended length of stay in Australia was 10 days but he was booked to leave the country on July 2.
Amritpal Gill done for importing heroin and meth
A key player in a drug syndicate that flooded Melbourne streets with heroin and methamphetamine has copped a 13-year jail term.
Amritpal Gill, a 35-year-old Indian national, pleaded guilty in the County Court to single charges of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug and dealing with proceeds of crime.
Gill used phone subscribed in false names and fraudulently opened bank and Australia Post accounts using details of innocent people who have had their identities stolen to avoid detection.
He used encrypted messaging applications and arranged for heroin and meth to be couriered to vacant rental properties, houses for sale or Australia Post parcel lockers.
Dale Williams done in massive ANOM sting
One of the biggest scalps from the ANOM sting of the century is set to be jailed after police identified the mass drug importer from a photo of his thumb.
Dale David Williams, 40, pleaded guilty to attempting to possess almost 150kg of meth.
Police seized the drugs and switched them for rock salt in June 2020 after identifying the mass haul through encrypted communications platform ANOM, which crooks believed was a secret weapon to commit crime, but was actually a plant by cops who were reading every message.
The Patterson Lakes man was identified after he sent photos to a drug trafficker via ANOM, which captured his thumb with “visible ridge characteristics that match an arrest print”.
He was jailed for a maximum of 16 years.
Tee Xiao Kang caught with drugs by landlord
A young drug dealer who fell behind in the rent for storage units he used to hide a large commercial quantity of illicit drugs was brought undone when the landlord moved in and subsequently called police.
Malaysian national Tee Xiao Kang was arrested when he arrived at Kennards Self Storage to pay the outstanding rent on two storage units on La Trobe St in which he stored 7.3kg of methylamphetamine and 5.6kg of butanediol.
He used an estimated 650 packets of toilet rolls to conceal the drugs stored in cardboxes in those units.
The 24-year-old was, in December, sentenced by the County Court to 14 years in prison with a minimum non parole period of eight years and 10 months.
Nicholas Georgiou caught importing $1.2m of drugs
A hardened crook joined a major criminal operation involved in the importation of 500L of butane with an estimated street value of up to $1.2m in order to pay off a substantial drug debt.
Nicholas Georgiou who only months earlier was jailed for five years and three months on home invasion and firearm charges fronted the County Court on Thursday for sentencing on three charges of attempting to traffick butane and another of using a false document.
The 36-year-old was jailed for eight years and seven months on all charges.
Jonade Hamidi dobbed in by ex Illi Glover
A coke dealer who told his then-girlfriend to “get the stuff out of the house” after he was pulled over by police in his red BMW has been jailed.
Jonade Hamidi, 25, appeared in the County Court for sentencing on Wednesday after earlier pleading guilty to charges of trafficking in cocaine and cannabis, negligently dealing with $259,010 being the proceeds of crime, and possession of ketamine.
He was sentenced to 20 months’ jail on all charges with a minimum non-parole period of 10 months.
His ex — glamorous dog groomer Illi Glover — gave evidence against Hamidi in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court during his committal last year.
She was handed a 12-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to charges of cannabis possession and negligently dealing with proceeds of crime in June last year.
Corey Glidden caught trafficking meth, morphine in Mildura streets
A Mildura dad caught trafficking meth has told a court he only sells the drug to “fund his own habit”, after being busted a second time.
Corey Glidden pleaded guilty in Mildura Magistrates’ Court in November to charges of drug trafficking, drug possession and possessing proceeds of crime after being caught with meth and morphine.
Glidden was seen by police with another man sitting down in a public area in Mildura on June 6, and began to walk away
Police stopped the men and interviewed and searched Glidden, finding .43g of meth in his pockets, $660 in cash, an ounce amount of an ingot and one vial of morphine.
Investigating officers also found evidence in Glidden’s phone that he’d been selling meth and cannabis that afternoon.
Thang Nguyen, Janet Tran, Yong Cheng, Jimmy Lang, Khai Mong and Wei Teoh sentenced over heroin trafficking
Members of a Malaysian drug syndicate busted for heroin trafficking out of Melbourne’s western suburbs were sentenced to a combined 55 years’ jail.
Yong Cheng, Jimmy Lang, Khai Mong and Wei Teoh appeared for sentencing in the County Court in October after pleading guilty to a swag of charges in relation to drug dealing.
Thang Nguyen, 73, was sentenced to six-months imprisonment after pleading guilty to one charge of heroin trafficking, while Janet Tran, 50, admitted to charges of heroin trafficking and dealing in $19,500 in proceeds of crime.
The six were arrested as part of Operation Kingfisher that Victoria Police launched in 2021 to identify drug dealing in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Police recovered more than $600,000 in cash which were proceeds of crime, more than four kilograms of the about 14kg of heroin the Director of Public Prosecutions believes was trafficked, and other items, during pre-dawn raids last year.
Luxury handbags, watches and shoes, jewellery and gold were also seized.
Police unearthed 42 separate transactions of drug dealing and executed warrants across Melbourne suburbs, including Box Hill, Springvale, Braybrook and Dingley Village, and the six arrested.
Alan Alexander dropped package of ketamine under Mornington tree
An apprentice chippy decided to boost his income by dealing ketamine on the Peninsula before he was brought undone by an eagle-eyed member of the community.
Alan Alexander, 19, appeared in the Frankston Magistrates’ Court in November where he pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking ketamine and a charge of possessing ecstasy.
The teen, who was 18 at the time of offending, had begun to “dabble” in ketamine use with his friends before realising he could make a quick buck from dealing instead.
The court heard police were called in September 2021 after a member of the public saw Alexander drop a package under a tree in Mornington before driving away.
When they examined the package it was found to contain 29g of ketamine.
When police searched Alexander’s home in Mornington where he was living with his mum and dad they found multiple phones, ecstasy tablets, ketamine, drug paraphernalia, and almost $5000 in cash.
Shaun Bourke sentenced for meth, GHB trafficking
A Shepparton man with a sizeable rap sheet already in prison has had another year added on to his time inside.
Shaun Bourke, 33, pleaded guilty in the Shepparton Magistrate’s Court to drug trafficking charges that occurred while he was on bail.
Bourke trafficked drugs methamphetamine and GHB, more commonly known as liquid ecstasy.
He also pleaded guilty to trafficking cannabis.
Cops answer arrested drug dealer Nicholas Odar’s phone
A Numurkah man hauled into a police station on drug charges had his phone answered by an officer — with the person on the other end looking to make a deal.
Nicholas Joseph Odar, 35, pleaded guilty to a raft of charges, including trafficking meth.
The court heard Odar was arrested after police saw him riding a pink box bike with no helmet.
Police found ziplock bags of meth and cannabis in bum bags on him.
While at the station, an unsaved number rang Odar’s phone and police answered.
The person on the line asked for drugs, not realising they were on the phone to police.
Youssef Mallahie done for importing liquid ecstasy in French wine bottles
A man with a penchant for the good life has admitted to his role in aiding and abetting in the importation of more than 300kg of liquid ecstasy hidden in French wine bottles.
Youssef Mallahie, 26, of Roxburgh Park, pleaded guilty in the County Court in February to a charge of aiding and abetting in the importation of a commercial quantity of MDMA.
Mallahie was on bail at the time on charges, including possession of methamphetamine, and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months’ jail.
On the latest charge, he was one of two people arrested in connection with the foiled consignment of MDMA hidden in bottles of Mouton Cadet Baron Philippe De Rothschild 2016 Bordeaux, that arrived by air in September 2022.
The consignment was 532.5 times the commercial quantity allowable for MDMA.
Brodie Purton busted because he couldn’t sell his drugs
A hapless Bendigo truck driver and would-be drug dealer was busted with cannabis because he couldn’t find anyone to sell it to.
Brodie Purton, 25, pleaded guilty in February at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court to trafficking cannabis and possessing illegal fireworks.
Police raided Purton’s Golden Square home on March 7, 2023, seizing $10,300 in cash, about 1.6kg of weed and multiple boxes of fireworks.
When he was arrested and charged, Purton told Bendigo police he had no access to the cannabis and he was just living at the property, before later admitting to possessing the drugs.
The 25-year-old’s lawyer told the court Purton had sold his Toyota HiLux for $21,000 and had planned to sell the cannabis to pay for his ongoing family law legal fees.
However, Purton’s lawyer said there was “no evidence” of any transaction made, because Purton was unable to find a buyer for the cannabis.
Jackson Davis caught peddling drugs at music festival
A Melbourne drug dealer busted at a Swan Hill music festival with a stack of drugs had his mum come to his defence in court saying he no longer went clubbing and ran a “tight ship”.
Jackson Davis, 23, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of trafficking cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy, dimethylamphetamines, possessing LSD, cannabis and Xanax, possessing a controlled weapon and possessing proceeds of crime.
In March, police patrolling a music festival near Swan Hill saw Davis acting suspiciously, before he spotted them and quickly ducked into a port-a-loo.
When he emerged, officers searched Davis and the toilet, turning up a large stockpile of drugs, including 14.1g of ketamine, 19 Xanax tablets, 11 LSD tablets, 17.7g of cocaine, 5g of dimethylamphetamines, 118 ecstasy tablets, a 3g bag of ‘green vegetable matter’, an orange switchblade knife and $1775 in cash.
The court heard police also seized Davis’ car and phone, where they found further evidence of drug trafficking in his text message conversations.
In an interview with police, the court heard Davis had said he was “just having fun”.
Oscar Bulmer uncovered as major drug dealer
An “unremarkable” Elsternwick apprentice butcher who lived above a popular bar has been revealed to be a big time drug dealer.
Elsternwick’s Oscar Bulmer, 28, pleaded guilty at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court to multiple charges of trafficking cocaine, MDMA and ice, as well as possessing a taser, fake IDs and two handguns.
After a raid on his Glen Huntly Rd apartment in November last year, police uncovered $61,565 worth of drugs, including 16.3g of ice, 257.6g of MDMA and 39.3g of cocaine.
Magistrate Luisa Bazzani noted Bulmer had lived in an apartment above a popular bar — a convenient location for a drug dealer — for seven years.
“He lives on top of a bar, I don’t know whether this has relevance to his drug trafficking, but I suspect it does,” she said.
Ms Bazzani said it was an “extraordinary debut” for someone who had no criminal priors.
Ron De Iulio has fall from grace after being caught dealing
Former Carlton footballer Ron De Iulio says he wants to “do better” after a police raid exposed him as a drug trafficker.
De Iulio, 51, was arrested after drugs, deal bags and cash – and a notebook containing prices and names of his clients – were seized at his Melbourne apartment in February 2023.
In a frank police interview, he admitted he would pay about $10,000 for the drugs, mostly methamphetamine, and onsell it to make a profit of $1500.
De Iulio, who played more than 100 games with the Blues during the 1990s, said he had about “half a dozen” recurring customers who he conducted deals with in “two-second transactions”.
He would sell the illicit substances to fund his own smoking habits and “get by”, he said.
Supporting himself with crutches, De Iulio, 51, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where magistrate Brett Sonnet described his offending as a “fall from grace”.
De Iulio pleaded guilty to trafficking a drug of dependence, dealing in proceeds of crime and possessing ecstasy.
Driver dies in Avenel crash
Police are investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash near Avenel that happened on Sunday morning.
Brighton pad sells for $1m less than it fetched 12 months ago
A Brighton house has sold for a whopping amount, seven-figures below what it fetched a year earlier. The home features a rooftop hot tub spa, plus a sauna, bar and games and billiards room.