Phillip Noel Kaye busted as head of major drug ring operating in the Northern Territory

Drugs smuggled in suitcases, $150k in cash tossed off a balcony into a pool and code names like ‘Gronkatron’. See why a month-long trial of a Top End drug syndicate dealer and testimonies from his 13 associates was quashed at the 11th hour.

During a raid on drug kingpin Phillip Kaye’s home an associate threw almost $150,000 into the communal pool below.

The kingpin of a major international drug syndicate operating in the Territory has taken a plea deal the day a month-long trial was due to start that would have called on several of his 13 known associates to give evidence against him.

Phillip Noel Kaye, 45, was busted in a dramatic arrest that involved almost $150,000 in cash being thrown off his Bayview balcony into the communal swimming pool below.

His 2021 arrest followed a special police investigation, Operation Delmar, which used covert surveillance to track the trafficking and sale of commercial quantities of cannabis in the greater Darwin area by an interstate criminal syndicate linked to Vietnamese organised crime.

Investigations revealed American Tourister suitcases, each packed with about 15kg of weed, were being trafficked into the Territory by a number of couriers including Brisbane couple Hujaness Samuela, 28, and Vailima Tilo, 29 – both of whom pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis earlier this year.

Over a period of six months, Samuela and Tilo were observed taking a commercial flight to Darwin 18 times between them, carrying multiple suitcases weighing more than 60kg.

Kaye headed up a “sub-syndicate” in the Top End, storing the drugs at several locations across town and communicating with 29 people using the handle “Clandestine20” on encrypted messenger service Threema, the Supreme Court heard on Monday.

His associates, who bought the weed for $4500 to resell, included the son of a high-profile Darwin medico, Samuel Robert Eupene, 47, who used the handle “YOU PEEN EEEE”, and mum-of-five Cearne Emmanuel Frances Murch, 36, known as “Smurch” - both of whom pleaded guilty to supplying commercial quantities.

Samuel Robert Eupene pleaded guilty to his role in the syndicate.

From miracle to major drug bust: Mum’s tale of survival

Darwin mum Cearne Murch has told how her miracle survival from a horror crash led to a drug addiction that ended in her being arrested as part of the international crime ring.

Murch pleaded guilty to dealing more than 13kg of cannabis in two months after she was busted under Operation Delmar.

During sentencing the Supreme Court heard how Murch was involved in a serious accident just before her 22nd birthday in 2009, being impaled by a pine log that dislodged from a truck.

Cearne Murch aged 22.

She was lucky to survive, but recovery was not easy – Murch spent two weeks in a coma, requiring surgery, skin grafts, extensive physical therapy, and used a colostomy bag for two years.

“I have no difficulty in accepting that the injuries that you suffered in that accident and the treatment which followed, had a detrimental effect upon your psychological wellbeing, particularly your self-image and hopes for the future,” Justice John Burns said.

“I also have no difficulty in concluding that this horrendous experience shaped the way that your life developed afterwards.”

The court heard that in the years following the incident, Murch’s drug use escalated, eventually falling in with a crowd of ice users.

“I have no doubt that the serious emotional and psychological consequences of the accident, your injuries and your treatment contributed to your escalated use of cannabis and your commencement of the use of methamphetamine,” Justice Burns said.

“This, in turn, contributed to your involvement with drug suppliers like (Kaye) and ultimately to you becoming involved in the present enterprise.”

The judge said he had no doubt Murch’s accident had a detrimental effect on her ‘self-image and hopes for the future’.

Raining cash in dramatic arrest

Kaye, Murch and Eupene were at Kaye’s home at Michie Ct, Bayview, on September 28, 2021, when police raided the unit about 6pm.

Eupene grabbed bundles of cash worth $148,750 and threw them off the balcony as detectives searched inside.

About 15kg of cannabis was found in a storage room attached to the property, 1.8kg at a Coconut Grove location, and 28.1kg at Fannie Bay business Darwin Radiators and Mechanical Service.

In total the haul was estimated to be worth up to $495,023 street value, or more if sold in remote communities.

A week after his arrest, Kaye was visited in prison by Jonathon Andrew Taylor, 45, who then messaged another member of the syndicate using the handle “Gronkatron”.

“When I visited him he told me who I can get $ off and who’s holding what he got recently … He’s got Ur $ but it’s hidden inside his unit & the cops didn’t find it … I’m seeing his lawyer tomorrow to have a look at the warrant and to have a chat,” Taylor’s message said.

A raid on Taylor’s house found $25,430 in cash and almost 35g of meth, which he sourced from the interstate syndicate, the court heard.

On Monday Taylor pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of meth, and Kaye pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis.

Both will return to court for sentencing at a later date.