‘WTF just happened?’: ANOM text messages revealed

Text messages filed in Brisbane’s Supreme Court between an alleged four-man drug ring, including a former crane driver and a house-flipper, provide an insight into what police will allege is a major syndicate’s operation. READ THE TEXTS

Text chats between Queensland men who believed they were shielded by using an encrypted app will form the basis of police allegations they plotted million dollar drug deals.

Just like the Baltimore police in the hit US TV series The Wire who gathered intel by listening in on targets, federal police’s ability to read the messages of alleged high-level figures peddling drugs in Brisbane and the Gold Coast gave them a front-row seat to alleged criminal methodology and an invaluable insight into what they will allege a major syndicate’s operation.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE MESSAGES

Police will rely on the conversations to prove what roles are played by each member of the ring, and their place in the hierarchy, reveals who has authority, who is calling the shots and how they avoid police detection.

The messages which prosecutors have filed in the Supreme Court in Brisbane give unique insight into the minds and operations of the men police allege was a four-man drug ring which allegedly sold cocaine, ice, ecstasy, cannabis and guns and couriered the drugs from Sydney for sale and distribution in Queensland.

Ben Haylock is accused of being a key player in a business selling $1m worth of cannabis and large amounts of ice, cocaine and ecstasy.

Christopher John Spurling, 33, a father of one and house-flipper from Wilston, and his co-accused Benjamin Haylock, 41, a former crane driver formerly of Mermaid Waters, and plasterer Ernesto Antonio Silva, 33, from Springfield, and Cody John Albert Kirby, 33 are accused of running a business selling $1m worth of cannabis and large amounts of ice, cocaine and ecstasy between April last year and June this year, as alleged major players on the Queensland drug scene.

They are also jointly charged with gun trafficking, for allegedly offering to sell weapons for $20,000 each between April and June this year.

Spurling who is engaged to marry Sophie Louise Snape, a lawyer from top Brisbane firm, Gadens, is alleged to have been a high-level wholesale drug trafficker and “overseen” the transportation of 2 kgs of cocaine from Bankstown in Sydney’s west by former Bachelorette contestant Samuel Colin Minkin, 28, on May 13.

Ms Snape is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Sophie Louise Snape.

The cocaine, which police argue was owned by Spurling, was allegedly couriered by Minkin and his co-accused Aaron Mark Hyde, 39, from Eudlo in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, to the drug ring’s safe-house, a historic Queenslander home at Ocean View.

Minkin and Hyde were arrested in Byron Bay on May 28 by NSW police when they were in a VW van allegedly containing 166kg of cannabis worth $500,000 allegedly belonging to the Spurling-Haylock syndicate.

Minkin and Hyde have not been charged over the allegations they acted as mules to transport the cocaine.

Prosecutors have alleged in court that the Anom app has done the much of the work of collecting hard evidence of the drug ring’s illegal plans with Spurling allegedly openly chatting about how best to “cut”, or dilute, 2 kgs of cocaine he allegedly hired a Bachelorette contestant to drive the two “bricks” 1000km to this state.

Former Bachelorette contestant Samuel Minkin.

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The group have not yet entered pleas to the charges as the case is in its early stages.

Calling each other “bro”, “lads”, “homie” and “fellas” the messages also allegedly show a drug dealer telling Spurling he can sell him 10kg of ecstasy for $500,000.

They also allegedly reveal the handover of $241,845 in cash and Spurling sharing his devastation after a police raid on the drug ring’s safe-house, a historic Queenslander home at Ocean View, one hour northwest of Brisbane.

Spurling is alleged to have told his alleged associate Benjamin Haylock: “Lost those bricks bro. They got seized in a raid.”

In another message Spurling allegedly wrote he was “spewing man” when the cocaine cutting agent borax was unavailable, and his associate said he had been “sweating chips” over various “recipes” for cutting the cocaine.

Spurling airs his fears that customers might complain if the cocaine is not cut properly and instructs his associate to “Pull 200g from each brick. Then 100g boric”.

“See how it turns out before we crush a full brick haha”, Spurling allegedly writes.

Police allege the messages also reveal the value of drugs they have sold, that the group use military and radio terms such as “copy” to show they understood the message and reveal their use of safe houses to store drugs and the precise locations where they allegedly made “dead drops” of cash – called “paper” – and drugs in the Brisbane suburb of Sherwood.

While Spurling went by the handle “Capo”, Haylock by “butcher” and Silva by “Taco”, alleged drug ring member Cody Kirby made an unwise choice to use ‘tjkirbs' as his ‘handle’ on Anom.

Police allege the messages show Spurling was the owner of $660,000 worth of cocaine which was seized by police in the raid and that the messages show he also kept a detailed “tick sheet” or ledger of who owed cash for drugs and how much he sold to whom.

Police told the court that they were able to read the encrypted messages sent between the four alleged traffickers and their associates using the Anom app and it had given them an “enormous amount of evidence” to examine.and that this investigation is “unprecedented”.

The evidence is so large because criminals let their guard down, believing their conversations were protected, police allege.

In the past police have been blocked from gathering evidence by criminals who have used various encrypted apps such as Ciphr and Telegram.

The Australian Federal Police began the operation in October 2018 and Queensland police began their operation to target Queensland users of the app in March.

The Anom app must be purchased pre-loaded onto an android or Google Pixel mobile phone, and cannot be downloaded like other apps.

Police used GPS data contained within the phone as well as CCTV footage from various locations to show each alleged drug ring member was at the same location as the Anom phone, they told the court.

The four co-accused are due back in court next month.

ANOM TEXT MESSAGES

* Anom messages filed in the Supreme Court by prosecutors in bail applications made by Chris “Capo” Spurling, Benjamin Haylock and Ernesto “Taco” Silva. * Police allege paper means cash, that p means pounds

MAY 14-15

AN0M messages allegedly sent between Chris Spurling and an associate who was based at a Ocean View safe house where they allegedly discuss cutting or diluting cocaine with borax or an animal drug called Levisamole.

Spurling: what’s our thoughts bro on the borix? or alternative?(SIC should be Borax FYI)

Associate: Its being sourced

Spurling: :) When can we get it bro? Sorry to be pestering.

Associate: So if we pull 200g out of each brick. Then replace with 200g of boric?

MAY 15

If we get the alternative to boric can I grab it and go press with PR0? … That borax from Bunnings. Is that pure powder? Or smaller flakes?

Associate: It would not look right I don't think … there wikk (SIC) be no shine at all. I think its worth waiting

Spurling: We will have complaints … What’s the alternative?

Associate: They use it for yeast injection, eyewash, insecticide, stain removal. Can u buy off eBay with a gift card. Levisamole.

(Attaches image of ABC News wepage)
Associate: Article titled: Cocaine Laced With Flesh-Eating Drug Drug used to deworm animal can rot skin. Cocaine cut with the veterinary drug levamisole could be the culprit in a flurry of flesh-eating disease in New York and Los Angeles”

Associate: My mate reckons u can turn the crystals into flakes I read u can as well. I told him to do it asap lol

Spurling: Hey Sorry bro I just saw this How do we turn them to flakes?

Associate: Found a recipe to basically boil them down mate said it should be done around 8pm will see. Yeag (SIC)

Spurling: That’d be a game changer … makes the cocaine seem stronger than it actually is.

Spurling: Pull 200g from each brick. Then 100g boric? See how it turns out before we crush a full brick haha

MAY 16

Spurling: “Could we do Skew St again for paper. Taco?” … “Can you hold on Skew St. I’ll park 2km away and scooter in”.

MAY 19

Spurling: We had another huge loss man. Unsure if I’ll make it through this one. Near 700k for avo (SIC) and I. I’m not well. Won’t be on here much. Getting this green load out today. Setting up a few systems and walking away from all of this for a while mate.

Haylock: WTF has just happened?

Spurling: Lost those bricks bro. They got seized in a raid. Plus lost a bunch of other stuff tied up in the same raid.

MAY 23-24

Silva: Hey fellas just letting you know I’ve sold that 116 most of the paper is in just waiting for some. When would we be able to reload?

Haylock: Sup Taco … how r u my bro? Cap was gonna be off this most of today. I believe he be back on early tomoz morning.. lete (SIC) ping him homie. Cap says he have an answer tomoz for u homie

Silva: Sweet bro sounds good still got paper coming back in anyways

Spurling: Hey Taco. That’s great news thanks bro. I’ll know today when I’ll have more mate. When could arrange a paper drop? is today a possibility at all?

Silva: I’ll have to let you know later bro I’m at work. There is paper to hand over just not sure about amount …

Spurling: Sorry to be a pest bro. Was hoping to grab some paper tomorrow just to pay a mate and grab some greenery :)

Silva: Yes of course bro I’ve still not made it to safe house but will definitely be tonight and I’ll be able to give u total figure and tomorrow we can do a hand over.

MAY 25

Silva: Hey fellas I got 241,845 for you

Spurling: Legend taco. What time tomorrow suits? Can we do Sherwood area? I’ll find a new spot.

Silva: Yer Sherwood is fine bro midday.

Spurling: Yep great. Can he head to Quarry road. Will get him to place under this unit block and clear out ... I’ll comenin (SIC) after. Unit block. Can you place it behind concrete pillar in garden?

Silva: Behind pillar near trailer. All good?

Spurling: Got it. Safe … How much is here bro

Silva: 241,845

MAY 28-31

Spurling: “I can come and get the paper. What time were you thinking? We wont have green until 330pm. But we can handle whenever. I can grab the paper today and get that sorted. Hey Taco. 80p spare for when you’re ready.”

Silva: Can we possibly do tomorrow morning paper and pick up?

Spurling: Potentially bnro (SIC) I’ll ask driver if he can work yomorrow (SIC).

Haylock: Hey Taco got sum (SIC) distressing news … the load was hit by cops yesterday … lost 320p. Just need to regroup and work things out.. will be a minor delay till we work things out … In the meantime can we collect whatever you have pls bro. Mate cap will be online soon enough.. if we haven’t heard from him I’ll be in Brissie on Tuesday … I’m sure he’ll surface just clearing the air.

Silva: Copy bro I’m at Goldie with the family be back in Brassy (SIC) round 4pm if you need anything let me know. I know there’s like 130k at safe house.

Haylock: copy. I think can get like 50 or slightly more for u early next week I’m finding details out bro

Silva: Easy bro it is what it is I’ll sit tight

Silva: I’ll take the 50 bro. And I got like 145k to hand over

Haylock: I need you to break it into 2 lots … you got 145k total … 87500 in one vac seal write AK, 57500 in the other write CAPO. He owes me money.

Originally published as ‘WTF just happened?’: ANOM text messages revealed