Jimmey Barkho, Bradley Proud, Hayden Cox, Jordan Alexander: Victoria’s biggest drug dealers

From a former world stage triathlete busted with a massive haul of drugs to a new father caught with meth, we can now reveal the state’s biggest dealers.

Police in Victoria are working tirelessly to keep drugs off streets and minimise the harm they cause.

The latest data from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) shows last year there were 30,363 recorded drug offences in Victoria which broke a four year trend of drug offences increasing.

It also shows drug dealing and trafficking made up almost 4000 of the drug offences recorded in 2021 with residential properties being the biggest problem area

Methamphetamine remains the largest trafficked drug in the state with 1380 dealing offences recorded last year.

A spokesman from Victoria police said drug use in the Victorian community continues to be a significant problem both in rural and metropolitan areas.

“The evidence – including Crime Statistics Agency data and wastewater analysis – clearly shows that drug harm is not going away and no area is immune,” the spokesman said.

Police said in order to combat drugs in the community they were committed to the pillars of drug harm minimisation – prevention, treatment, reducing harm and reducing supply.

“Victoria Police has a zero tolerance for drug traffickers, especially those who prey on the vulnerable,” a spokesman said.

Police work on a localised level with Divisional Response Units and Crime Investigation Units, as well as at a state and international level with Victoria Police’s Drug Taskforce and the Melbourne-based Joint Organised Crime Task Force (JOCTF).

“Police play a lead role in reducing drug harm through supply reduction. Police also assist partner agencies in education, prevention and early intervention initiatives, as well as providing referrals into treatment.”

Here are some of the drug traffickers busted in the past year.

Jimmey Barkho

Drug trafficker Jimmey Barkho, 30, avoided further jail time when he was sentenced in the County Court for drug and proceeds of crime charges in February.

The court heard he was “miserable” in the knowledge he’s just an “average” family man after apparently giving up a life of crime.

The County Court heard he was arrested at a mate’s house that was raided by the police in June 2018, where officers found him in a room trying to move away from a Louis Vuitton bag on the bed.

In the bag, cops found more than 180g of ice, $8926.20 in cash, Barkho’s passport, wallet and three mobile phones that were “usually an indication of involvement in drug supply”.

In sentencing the Port Melbourne man, Judge Helen Syme said a psychologist report showed he now had to view himself as an “average” partner and father and was “miserable with that observation”.

Barkho’s three year CCO included 350 hours unpaid community service work.

Bradley Proud

Bradley Proud, 26, was sentenced in County Court in April after earlier pleading guilty to charges involving trafficking, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and resisting and assaulting emergency workers.

The court heard, the new father was busted with 391.42 grams of meth packaged into 29 zip lock bags as well as $53,365 cash, and wants to change for his son.

Proud grew up watching his mum sell drugs to “survive and support the family” before getting involved himself.

In October 2021 nine months after he was released from jail for previous trafficking offences, Proud was spotted by police riding a Suzuki motorbike on Coalville Road in Moe.

The court heard he has never held a motorcycle licence and was seen a short time later running from the abandoned bike down Wirrana Drive.

Police caught up with him on foot before Proud threw his motorcycle helmet at them and punched one officer’s nose, causing it to bleed.

He was arrested and taken into custody.

Proud was convicted and jailed for five years and had served 178 days of pre-sentence detention at the time of sentencing.

Hayden Cox

Hayden Cox, 34, was sentenced at the County Court in April for a drug importation scheme that a judge described as requiring a “degree of planning and premeditation”.

Cox ordered packages containing between 500g and 9.3kg of party drugs including MDMA and ketamine delivered from Europe to rented mailboxes and lockers across Melbourne.

He then hired couriers from Airtasker — a popular online service that allows people to outsource everyday tasks — to collect the packages and deliver them to residential addresses.

The mailboxes and Airtasker account were opened using lost IDs — including a driver’s licence found near the St Kilda bar Cox operated — with the drug-dealer and his girlfriend at times pretending to be the individuals or family members of the stolen identities.

The court also heard of Cox’s charity he started through his family while behind bars which had raised more than $25,000 towards suicide prevention and mental health research.

Cox was sentenced to 12 years behind bars with a non-parole period of seven years.

Jordan Alexander

Jordan Alexander pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court to trafficking meth.

Jordan Alexander, 21, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in April to six months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including trafficking meth, MDMA and cocaine.

Alexander’s many chances ran out after police raided he and his mum’s Bundoora home on February 16 2022.

Investigators seized meth, $27,150 in cash, shotgun ammo, Xanax and a “large amount” of deal bags.

Alexander’s mum informed police she had no knowledge of any of the items seized, the court was told.

Police searched Alexander’s bedroom where they seized the deal bags stuffed in an Ugg Boot.

Alexander, an apprentice plumber, claimed he was told by a “person” to hold the bag of drugs, cash and ammo seized by police.

Alexander, broke down sobbing after Magistrate John Hardy told him he’ll be spending the next four months behind bars.

Alexander, who had spent 54 days on remand, was also handed an 18-month community correction order.

Matthew Joseph

Matthew Joseph was sentenced at the Frankston Magistrates’ Court in October after he pleaded guilty to charges of trafficking GHB, drug possession and possession of a taser in December and August.

He was arrested and remanded after police pulled him over while he was driving on August 21 at 4am on Point Nepean Rd in Toolgarook.

Officers found Joseph in possession of 1.14g of ice and a taser, and on the road while the chief health officer’s curfew was in place.

Joseph was denied bail after officers had previously picked him up on an outstanding matter, where he was caught in possession of canisters of GHB near the ANZ bank in Rosebud on December 9.

The court heard Joesph had three prior convictions for drug trafficking, including two in 2016 and one in 2019.

Joseph was sentenced to seven months’ jail for his offences with 57 days already served as pre-detention.

Fawzi El Cheikh

Fawzi El Cheikh. Facebook.

Fawzi El Cheikh, 22, a former trusted operative in a Comanchero controlled international drug smuggling syndicate linked to underworld violence, was sentenced in the County Court in May to a minimum 10-month jail term after pleading guilty to attempting to possess drugs.

El Cheikh, who also pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine, was a former trusted lieutenant for fallen Comanchero treasurer and drug syndicate mastermind Domenic Luzza.

El Cheikh, on Luzza’s orders, enlisted syndicate goon Koray Biricik to collect a methyl alpha-acetophenylacetate consignment.

Police listened, via a device installed in Luzza’s apartment, while the Comanchero boss discussed drug business with syndicate lieutenants including El Cheikh and Lorenzo Carbone.

El Cheikh, who also pleaded guilty to multiple theft charges, was linked to various stolen luxury vehicles with cloned number plates.

El Cheikh, who was also nabbed with cocaine at his home, was jailed for a maximum 20 months.

Blayden Meagher

Blayden Meagher pleaded guilty to trafficking MDMA.

Blayden Meagher, a former world stage triathlete was sentenced in the County Court in May to a minimum four year and six month jail term after being busted with a massive haul of drugs including MDMA and cocaine and pleading guilty to multiple charges including trafficking a large commercial quantity of MDMA.

Meagher’s major drug racket was sunk after he was pulled over by police on EastLink near Carrum Downs on November 16, 2019.

The once-promising open swimmer, who competed at state and national level, was nabbed with 100 ecstasy tablets in a bumbag, 26 deal bags containing cocaine stashed in his waistband, scales, bute, deal bags and cash — some of which was bundled in his underwear.

The talented athlete, who once competed in the World Triathlon Championship Series, told police he picked up the drugs while he was on his way to his parents’ Blairgowrie holiday home.

Investigators raided his property where they discovered an Aladdin’s Cave of drugs and cash.

Police seized 1.8kg of MDMA from an open safe in a room titled “manager’s room”, various other drugs, a box of needles and a “significant” amount of cash.

Meagher, who appeared via videolink from Marngoneet, was jailed for a maximum seven years and six months and had spent 915 days on remand.