THE TRIAL into what is alleged was one of Ballarat's biggest drug trafficking rings will begin in Ballarat County Court today with 14 people expected to appear before Judge Nixon.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The defendants are among 25 people who were arrested last year in relation to the alleged trafficking of "ice" or "shaboo" into the region.
Their arrests followed an extensive surveillance operation conducted by the Ballarat Regional Response Unit between August and October 2001, code-named Operation Sallyport.
The operation identified Jayne Rawlings, 36, of Lawrence St, Sebastopol, Oscar Cipriano, 36, of Empire St, Footscray, and Mark Sandwith, 38, of Webb Ave, Ballarat, as major players in the supply and use of the designer drug ice in Ballarat, a previous court hearing was told.
During earlier court hearings in Ballarat Magistrate's Court it was alleged the syndicate worked through members in Ballarat placing money in a TAB account operated by Cipriano.
Cipriano would then allegedly withdraw the money and in return supply methylamphetamines to Rawlings.
During Operation Sallyport police taped about 8000 telephone calls and obtained video footage of alleged drug transactions using hidden cameras.
It is alleged the drug-trafficking syndicate marketed more than 500g or $200,000 worth of ice into the region over a period of three months.
The first of the arrests followed raids on houses in the Ballarat area and one in Footscray in October.
Three Ballarat residents who played peripheral roles in the drug-trafficking ring received suspended jail sentences in Ballarat Magistrate's Court on July 12.
They were Evelyn Almario, 44, of Warrina Dve, Delacombe, Franklin Repunte, 41, of Grandview Gve, Wendouree, and Linda O'Reilly, 43, of Sebastopol St.
