An Australian dark web vendor has been sentenced to a very long time in prison for masterminding a dark web drug trafficking operation that sold drugs worth approximately $17 million.
Th vendor Cody Ward, 27, of New South Wales was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to multiple drug trafficking charges. He was running the darkweb vendor account “NSWGreat” from his home in Callala Bay, Australia. Cody imported and distributed huge quantities of drugs which included LSD, MDMA, Cocaine, Cannabis, Methylamphetamine, Amphetamine, and prescription drugs.
Ward was arrested on February 2019 after extensive investigations conducted by Strike Force Royden investigators. During the investigation into his activities, investigators intercepted a total of 85 packages and they seized a high quantity of a variety of illicit drugs.
Ward’s arrest lead to the seizure of:
- 200 grams of MDMA;
- 2.5 kilograms of cocaine;
- Amphetamine;
- Diazepam;
- 100,000 LSD pills;
- Cannabis;
- Alprazolam disguised as candy;
- $80,000 in cash;
- Money counters;
- Documents;
- Electronic devices;
- And items used in the packaging and mailing of illicit drugs.
Two sisters, Shanese and Patricia Koullias were also arrested as part of the investigation. The sisters prepared, packaged, and distributed drug packages per orders received for Ward’s dark web operation.
Patricia was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2020. Shanese Koullias was sentenced to eight years in prison in February 2021.
Ward pleaded guilty to the importation of controlled drugs and to the supply of illicit drugs in August 2020.
Ward’s sentencing hearing took place at the NSW District Court on May 14, 2021. Judge Robyn Tupman sentenced Ward to 14 years in prison. The judge dated the sentence back to Ward’s arrest date of February 2019.