Brother of NSW Police Minister Paul Toole charged with serious drug and criminal group offences

The brother of NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole has been charged after police seized methylamphetamine worth $2m and more than $200,000 in cash.

Joshua Toole, the brother of NSW Police Minister Paul Toole, was arrested on Wednesday.

The brother of NSW Police Minister and Deputy Premier Paul Toole has been charged with serious drug supply offences and with directing a criminal group after police seized methylamphetamine worth $2m and more than $200,000 in cash.

Joshua Toole, 38, was arrested on Wednesday by Drug and Firearms Squad detectives investigating the alleged supply of methamphetamine on the NSW Central Coast and Hunter regions.

He was arrested in a vehicle stop, with police later executing three search warrants, which allegedly led to the seizure of 2kg of methylamphetamine, $220,000 in cash and a gel-blaster firearm.

SNSW Deputy Premier and Police Minister Paul Toole. Picture: Damian Shaw

The Belmont North resident has been refused police bail after being charged with one count of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and five counts of supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis.

He also faces one count of knowingly directing activities of a criminal group and one count of participating in a criminal group contributing criminal activity.

In a statement, police said a strike force was established in April to investigate the supply of the drug in the Central Coast and Hunter, with Raptor squad, Hunter Region Enforcement Squad and Northern Region Operation Support Group officers assisting in the arrests.

“Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearms Squad, in partnership with the NSW Crime Commission, established Strike Force Great to investigate the supply of methylamphetamine throughout the state’s Central Coast and Hunter regions,” the statement said.

“As part of ongoing inquiries, strike force detectives arrested a 38-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman following vehicle stops at Killarney Vale and Belmont shortly after 9am Wednesday.

“A short time later, investigators executed search warrants in Belmont North, Nords Wharf and Wadalba, locating and seizing more than 2kg of methylamphetamine – with an estimated potential street value of $2 million – $220,000 cash, a gel-blaster firearm, electronic devices, and other items relevant to the investigation.”

A 43-year-old man was arrested at the location of one of the search warrants, and a 42-year-old man was arrested at a workplace in Wyong.

In a statement to The Daily Telegraph, Paul Toole – the leader of the NSW Nationals who is also Minister for Regional NSW – said he was “devastated” by the news.

“But we are not the first family to have to deal with this and unfortunately we won’t be the last,” he said.

“No one is above the law.”

The four people charged will face Newcastle Local Court on Thursday morning.