Four Maitland men charged with the supply of more than 200 ecstasy tablets in the Newcastle area had their strict bail conditions continued on Monday.
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No pleas were entered when the four when they appeared in Maitland Local Court. They will face Newcastle Local Court on December 9.
Charged were:
Dylan Nickerson, 20, of Hawkins Street, Rutherford. Charges involving 80 ecstasy tablets – taking part in supplying 50, 20 and 10 tablets on three occasions in Newcastle.
Donald Dixon, 22, of O’Hearn Street, Tenambit – supplying 151 ecstasy tablets between February 2 and April 21 in Georgetown and Tenambit.
Blake Bambach, 20, of Swan Street, Morpeth – supplying ecstasy in Broadmeadow.
Brendon Paul Salmon, 19, of Callistemon Close, Metford – supplying and taking part in the supply of 100 ecstasy tablets at Metford, as well as cannabis and amphetamines.
Their court appearance on Monday followed a major investigation by the Newcastle City Drug Unit’s Strike Force Rupas, which began tracking their movements on January 13.
In police papers tendered to the court, the unit’s mission was to target the supply of drugs in the Newcastle area, with specific reference to trafficking on licensed premises.
“This involved a number of covert investigation strategies to identify and investigate people involved with the supply of drugs – including authority to conduct a controlled operation in that area,” the papers said.
The papers revealed operations centred around the car park of the Sunnyside Tavern in Broadmeadow Road, Georgetown.
In one monitored telephone conversation, Mr Dixon was heard exchanging SMS messages with a male. He said he could purchase tablets for $20 each and could sell them for up to $30 each, the papers said.
On January 13 this year, Mr Dixon told a male he could supply 50 ecstasy tablets. Mr Bambach was later seen supplying 50 white tablets for $1000 to a male in the Sunnyside Tavern car park.
Police seized the tablets, which were found to be 9.74g of ecstasy.