Drug Dealers’ Getaway with Using Burner Phones Not as Scot-Free
Dial-a-dealer operations have become increasingly common, particularly in southwest Sydney.
According to the police, dial-a-dealer operations in Sydney are not as easily concealed as sellers might believe. They can now track the previously untraceable operations.
Secondary mobile phones are gaining popularity among dealers and runners who use them as “drug and run” phones for their anonymity. However, Detective Inspector Glenn Morfoot states that these devices can still be traced.
Mr. Morfoot mentioned that dial-a-dealer operations are on the rise, particularly in southwest Sydney. He told reporters, “A controller who has a ‘drug and run’ phone receives requests from customers which are then distributed to the runners organizing to meet the customers and supply the drugs.
It is an easy set-up to establish, however with certain investigative methods it is quite easy for [detective teams] to infiltrate.”
While burner phones do provide a higher level of security compared with regularly used mobiles, they can still be traced by law enforcement through a series of methods such as call detail records, location tracking, and surveillance.
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“If you’re involved either as a customer or a runner or controlling these businesses, I’d think twice before [police] come knocking on your door,” said Mr. Morfoot.
Following a major investigation into dial-a-dealer operations in southwest Sydney, three men aged 39, 42, and 61 were arrested for alleged cocaine supply. The men were arrested on Feb. 13 and taken to Liverpool, Camden, and Fairfield police stations.
They are awaiting charges and are assisting police with inquiries. Police carried out searches at four properties in the Denham Court, Gregory Hills, Lansvale, and Bossley Park areas. The search warrants are ongoing, with reports suggesting that cash was found on some of the premises.
It is believed that the syndicate had been dealing approximately half a kilogram of cocaine per month over several years, but it is unclear whether the arrested men are connected to a larger organized crime network.
