Strike Force Sulfur seized cash during raids across Canberra and Queanbeyan in September 2022. Photo: NSW Police.
A gang of drug dealers from the Queanbeyan region gave a “runner” $360,000 to buy them 1 kg of cocaine, but the man returned empty-handed, without the money or the drugs.
This resulted in members of the gang, including the then-25-year-old Andrew Hallam, meeting with high-ranking members of an outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) in an attempt to resolve the issue.
The details were revealed when the NSW District Court sentenced Hallam in September 2025.
NSW Police established Strike Force Sulfur in September 2021 to investigate drug supply in the Queanbeyan and Canberra areas.
Judge Robert Sutherland SC said police used phone intercepts and surveillance devices to identify several men involved in a criminal group, including Joshua Lachlan Cassie, Peter Robert Ellis and a third man.
Hallam joined the gang in January 2022, then he and Cassie went to Jerrabomberra Shopping Centre later that month where they sold someone 168 grams of cocaine for $58,200.
Between January and September 2022, the group sold a total of 233.9 grams of cocaine and earned $125,000 over the first four months of that year.
Cassie was supposed to receive 30 per cent of their profits, while Hallam was to get 20 per cent.
“Hallam participated through organisation, transportation and supply of cocaine through various street-level dealers,” Judge Sutherland said.
Meanwhile, recorded conversations showed that in April 2022, the group tried to buy 1 kg of cocaine from an upline supplier for about $360,000 and sent a “runner” to Sydney to purchase the drugs.
“[He] did not return with the cocaine or any of the funds given to him by the group for the purposes of the purchase,” Judge Sutherland said.
A few days later, Hallam and the third man drove from Queanbeyan to a meeting in Franklin, ACT, where they spoke to high-ranking members of an OMCG to try to resolve the issue.
Strike Force Sulfur also seized substances during raids across Canberra and Queanbeyan in September 2022. Photo: NSW Police.
Hallam was arrested in September 2022 and spent one year and seven months in custody before he was released on bail.
The now-28-year-old from Jerrabomberra pleaded guilty to six charges, including two counts of supplying a prohibited drug and single counts of participating in a criminal group and attempting to possess a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.
He had no prior criminal history, is one of six children and comes from a close family. He is a qualified carpenter who works for his father’s building company, which mostly operates in the ACT.
Judge Sutherland acknowledged that he was remorseful and had excellent prospects for rehabilitation.
Hallam was sentenced to a total of three and a half years’ jail with a non-parole period of one year and seven months, backdated to account for time served.
The then-27-year-old Cassie and then-33-year-old Ellis, both from Queanbeyan, were arrested in September 2022 as well.
Cassie has already been sentenced for charges that included two counts of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime.
He was handed a three-year and three-month jail term with a two-year non-parole period and became eligible to be released from custody in September 2024.
Ellis pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited drug, supplying a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
He was sentenced to two years and four months’ jail, to be served by a community-based intensive correction order from March 2024 with 250 hours of community service.
The third man was also arrested, but has yet to be sentenced.
No, Bill. The ISCC represents many local organisations, thus it is very difficult to be politically… View