The unravelling of an alleged Sydney dark web syndicate
The pair, aged 25 and 22, had come to the attention of NSW Police's elite Cybercrime Squad, who had reason to suspect the men were running a complex dark net drug operation.
The duo, plus at least two unknown people, had allegedly sold quantities of cocaine, heroin, ketamine and methylamphetamine to eager buyers across the country.
Court documents do not identify the pair's alleged co-conspirators, who went by the monikers of SnowQueen and EliteSupplies as they communicated online.
Beginning in January, detectives launched a five-month operation that began when police allegedly became aware of the purchase of 3.5 grams of ice for $630 worth of cryptocurrency on the 20th of that month.
The following day, surveillance officers followed the duo from the Belmore home Cao shared with his girlfriend and her parents to a post office in Lakemba, where they allegedly witnessed Do remove a black and white bag from the car before Cao took it inside. It was later seized by investigators.
Investigators allege it was the first of several occasions that Do used the postal system to send drugs sold on the dark net that were later seized and tested by police.
The operation, in which police allege Cao was pulling the strings, came to a screeching halt in May when the men were picked up by detectives.
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
'One-trick pony' MP bucks off parliament censure motion
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Labor's motion was first flagged in June after Mr Latham aired information that now-former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb purchased dozens of bottles of gin using taxpayer money to hand out as gifts, and discussed the medical records of independent MP Alex Greenwich. That followed a court ordering Mr Latham to pay $140,000 in damages to Mr Greenwich in September 2024 over a sexually explicit and homophobic social media post that resulted in a defamation case. He had been referred to the privileges committee for an investigation, with a report on matters involving Ms Webb and NSW Police due in October. Mr Latham defended bringing up information about Ms Webb, arguing the public had a right to know because of an "undeclared conflict of interest" and relationship to the gin distillery owners. But he also hinted, without evidence, that the Minns government had covered up a sexual assault that took place in the NSW Parliament. 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Premier Chris Minns said MPs needed to "draw a line in the sand" and criticised Mr Latham for his sustained personal attacks on his political foes under parliamentary privilege. "That's his modus operandi. He goes after anyone who holds him to account ... he's a one-trick pony," he said. Mr Latham also used Tuesday night's debate to level unsubstantiated sexual harassment allegations against the premier, who declined to respond. "I'm not going to detail them one by one as if to give it credence or importance or it has been backed with some shred of evidence or information," Mr Minns said. Labor's motion was first flagged in June after Mr Latham aired information that now-former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb purchased dozens of bottles of gin using taxpayer money to hand out as gifts, and discussed the medical records of independent MP Alex Greenwich. That followed a court ordering Mr Latham to pay $140,000 in damages to Mr Greenwich in September 2024 over a sexually explicit and homophobic social media post that resulted in a defamation case. He had been referred to the privileges committee for an investigation, with a report on matters involving Ms Webb and NSW Police due in October. Mr Latham defended bringing up information about Ms Webb, arguing the public had a right to know because of an "undeclared conflict of interest" and relationship to the gin distillery owners. But he also hinted, without evidence, that the Minns government had covered up a sexual assault that took place in the NSW Parliament. He called several ministers "cowards and curs and quislings". In July, Mr Latham denied sexual abuse allegations levelled against him by a former partner. The woman made a private application for an apprehended domestic violence order at a local court in Sydney. 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Premier Chris Minns said MPs needed to "draw a line in the sand" and criticised Mr Latham for his sustained personal attacks on his political foes under parliamentary privilege. "That's his modus operandi. He goes after anyone who holds him to account ... he's a one-trick pony," he said. Mr Latham also used Tuesday night's debate to level unsubstantiated sexual harassment allegations against the premier, who declined to respond. "I'm not going to detail them one by one as if to give it credence or importance or it has been backed with some shred of evidence or information," Mr Minns said. Labor's motion was first flagged in June after Mr Latham aired information that now-former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb purchased dozens of bottles of gin using taxpayer money to hand out as gifts, and discussed the medical records of independent MP Alex Greenwich. 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The Australian
a day ago
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