'I am sending my driver': enterprising drug dealer swapped ice for Bunnings vouchers
Daniel Lee Connors, 44, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio-visual link from jail on Wednesday.
He pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to the ongoing supply of methamphetamine, cannabis and GHB over six months in 2024.
When police raided Connors two houses in July, 2024, they found more than 300 grams of ice and smaller quantities of cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, methadone and buprenorphine with a combined street value of $150,000.
Connors will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month to get a sentencing date.
Police had launched Strike Force Picatinny to investigate Connors and his busy operation, monitoring text message exchanges with his customers and undertaking physical surveillance of the 44-year-old and his "drivers".
Connors was living between Talinga Close at Windale and Cassia Crescent at Gatehead and would negotiate prices and quantities with his customer base before sending over his "driver".
But the police were following the customers and "drivers" and on one occasion in May last year they watched as a car pulled up outside the Gateshead post office and a courier handed over ice and cannabis.
Police followed the customer to Kotara South, pulled them over and seized the drugs.
On another occasion in May, Connors was negotiating the sale of 14 grams of methamphetamine for $1900.
"Will $1750 and a $270 Bunnings voucher get us there?" the customer asked.
"Yeah," replied Connors, and the deal was done.
Connors would often direct people to meet him near his houses at Windale or Gateshead or organise one of his "drivers" or "couriers" to complete the transaction.
"Come over in ya ute," Connors messaged one of his drivers.
"I'm missing out on things.
"Time is money and ya wasting it."
But the police were always watching, and more than one customer or courier was pulled over and arrested soon after leaving Connors' house with a quantity of drugs.
Investigators were closing in. On July 3 the strike force swooped, executing simultaneous raids at the two properties where they found 300 grams of ice, $17,000 in cash, and smaller quantities of a number of other drugs.
While police were raiding the property at Gateshead, Connors momentarily pulled up outside and peered out from the back of a taxi.
The cab stopped briefly before Connors told the driver to get out of there.
Police gave chase and stopped the taxi in Flame Street, where they arrested Connors.
He had two mobile phones and about $2200 in cash in a small backpack.
A PROLIFIC and enterprising drug dealer who ran his supply operation out of houses at Gateshead and Windale used couriers and drivers to deliver quantities of ice and cannabis and even accepted Bunnings vouchers in exchange for drugs.
Daniel Lee Connors, 44, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio-visual link from jail on Wednesday.
He pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to the ongoing supply of methamphetamine, cannabis and GHB over six months in 2024.
When police raided Connors two houses in July, 2024, they found more than 300 grams of ice and smaller quantities of cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, methadone and buprenorphine with a combined street value of $150,000.
Connors will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month to get a sentencing date.
Police had launched Strike Force Picatinny to investigate Connors and his busy operation, monitoring text message exchanges with his customers and undertaking physical surveillance of the 44-year-old and his "drivers".
Connors was living between Talinga Close at Windale and Cassia Crescent at Gatehead and would negotiate prices and quantities with his customer base before sending over his "driver".
But the police were following the customers and "drivers" and on one occasion in May last year they watched as a car pulled up outside the Gateshead post office and a courier handed over ice and cannabis.
Police followed the customer to Kotara South, pulled them over and seized the drugs.
On another occasion in May, Connors was negotiating the sale of 14 grams of methamphetamine for $1900.
"Will $1750 and a $270 Bunnings voucher get us there?" the customer asked.
"Yeah," replied Connors, and the deal was done.
Connors would often direct people to meet him near his houses at Windale or Gateshead or organise one of his "drivers" or "couriers" to complete the transaction.
"Come over in ya ute," Connors messaged one of his drivers.
"I'm missing out on things.
"Time is money and ya wasting it."
But the police were always watching, and more than one customer or courier was pulled over and arrested soon after leaving Connors' house with a quantity of drugs.
Investigators were closing in. On July 3 the strike force swooped, executing simultaneous raids at the two properties where they found 300 grams of ice, $17,000 in cash, and smaller quantities of a number of other drugs.
While police were raiding the property at Gateshead, Connors momentarily pulled up outside and peered out from the back of a taxi.
The cab stopped briefly before Connors told the driver to get out of there.
Police gave chase and stopped the taxi in Flame Street, where they arrested Connors.
He had two mobile phones and about $2200 in cash in a small backpack.
A PROLIFIC and enterprising drug dealer who ran his supply operation out of houses at Gateshead and Windale used couriers and drivers to deliver quantities of ice and cannabis and even accepted Bunnings vouchers in exchange for drugs.
Daniel Lee Connors, 44, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio-visual link from jail on Wednesday.
He pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to the ongoing supply of methamphetamine, cannabis and GHB over six months in 2024.
When police raided Connors two houses in July, 2024, they found more than 300 grams of ice and smaller quantities of cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, methadone and buprenorphine with a combined street value of $150,000.
Connors will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month to get a sentencing date.
Police had launched Strike Force Picatinny to investigate Connors and his busy operation, monitoring text message exchanges with his customers and undertaking physical surveillance of the 44-year-old and his "drivers".
Connors was living between Talinga Close at Windale and Cassia Crescent at Gatehead and would negotiate prices and quantities with his customer base before sending over his "driver".
But the police were following the customers and "drivers" and on one occasion in May last year they watched as a car pulled up outside the Gateshead post office and a courier handed over ice and cannabis.
Police followed the customer to Kotara South, pulled them over and seized the drugs.
On another occasion in May, Connors was negotiating the sale of 14 grams of methamphetamine for $1900.
"Will $1750 and a $270 Bunnings voucher get us there?" the customer asked.
"Yeah," replied Connors, and the deal was done.
Connors would often direct people to meet him near his houses at Windale or Gateshead or organise one of his "drivers" or "couriers" to complete the transaction.
"Come over in ya ute," Connors messaged one of his drivers.
"I'm missing out on things.
"Time is money and ya wasting it."
But the police were always watching, and more than one customer or courier was pulled over and arrested soon after leaving Connors' house with a quantity of drugs.
Investigators were closing in. On July 3 the strike force swooped, executing simultaneous raids at the two properties where they found 300 grams of ice, $17,000 in cash, and smaller quantities of a number of other drugs.
While police were raiding the property at Gateshead, Connors momentarily pulled up outside and peered out from the back of a taxi.
The cab stopped briefly before Connors told the driver to get out of there.
Police gave chase and stopped the taxi in Flame Street, where they arrested Connors.
He had two mobile phones and about $2200 in cash in a small backpack.
A PROLIFIC and enterprising drug dealer who ran his supply operation out of houses at Gateshead and Windale used couriers and drivers to deliver quantities of ice and cannabis and even accepted Bunnings vouchers in exchange for drugs.
Daniel Lee Connors, 44, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio-visual link from jail on Wednesday.
He pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to the ongoing supply of methamphetamine, cannabis and GHB over six months in 2024.
When police raided Connors two houses in July, 2024, they found more than 300 grams of ice and smaller quantities of cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, methadone and buprenorphine with a combined street value of $150,000.
Connors will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month to get a sentencing date.
Police had launched Strike Force Picatinny to investigate Connors and his busy operation, monitoring text message exchanges with his customers and undertaking physical surveillance of the 44-year-old and his "drivers".
Connors was living between Talinga Close at Windale and Cassia Crescent at Gatehead and would negotiate prices and quantities with his customer base before sending over his "driver".
But the police were following the customers and "drivers" and on one occasion in May last year they watched as a car pulled up outside the Gateshead post office and a courier handed over ice and cannabis.
Police followed the customer to Kotara South, pulled them over and seized the drugs.
On another occasion in May, Connors was negotiating the sale of 14 grams of methamphetamine for $1900.
"Will $1750 and a $270 Bunnings voucher get us there?" the customer asked.
"Yeah," replied Connors, and the deal was done.
Connors would often direct people to meet him near his houses at Windale or Gateshead or organise one of his "drivers" or "couriers" to complete the transaction.
"Come over in ya ute," Connors messaged one of his drivers.
"I'm missing out on things.
"Time is money and ya wasting it."
But the police were always watching, and more than one customer or courier was pulled over and arrested soon after leaving Connors' house with a quantity of drugs.
Investigators were closing in. On July 3 the strike force swooped, executing simultaneous raids at the two properties where they found 300 grams of ice, $17,000 in cash, and smaller quantities of a number of other drugs.
While police were raiding the property at Gateshead, Connors momentarily pulled up outside and peered out from the back of a taxi.
The cab stopped briefly before Connors told the driver to get out of there.
Police gave chase and stopped the taxi in Flame Street, where they arrested Connors.
He had two mobile phones and about $2200 in cash in a small backpack.
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