Strike Force Arctic: Graeme Ian Young accused of being drug group lynchpin

Graeme Ian Young appeared before Nowra Local Court on Friday facing five charges, two of dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, knowingly direct activities of a criminal group, supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and a firearms charge.

Young’s Coconut Drive, North Nowra home was one of the properties at the centre of Strike Force Arctic’s raids across the city on Thursday.

In total six people were arrested in the operation across Nowra, North Nowra, Bomaderry and East Nowra.

Court papers said the search of Young’s house after the raid revealed a cache of cash, a number of weapons, including a large machete secreted above the front door and a .38 calibre Browning pistol on a lounge facing the front door.

Papers said Young was the leader of the group, with participants referring to him by the pseudonym “Old Mate”.

The court heard police had gathered evidence of the group supplying methylamphetamine or ice on a number of occasions to people known to police and drug users.

Young was described as “the upline supplier in the group” and used a co-accused Reymar Wright, 32, and a 27-year-old female, who is yet to appear in court,  to “insulate himself from direct association with the drug dealers”.

The court heard he only dealt with the participants of the criminal group.

Police used electronic and physical evidence in the operation which stated Wright and the woman were subservients of Young, who had made attempts to protect his identity.

Wright was seen on several occasions returning to the property in possession of money following alleged transactions.

It is alleged between July 6 and August 17 this year Wright sold 229.33 grams of ice to people known to police.

Court papers said Wright had just returned to the property on Thursday when officers executed the search warrant with the assistance of Tactical Operations Unit (TOU).

Young allegedly refused to comply with directions to step outside the home and resisted arrest, with officers forced to use a Taser and a tactical dog to apprehend him.

He was taken to Shoalhaven District Hospital with minor injuries and spent several hours being treated under police guard.

During the search of the home police found a large machete above the front door, a pistol lying on a nearby lounge.

Court papers said the possession of weapons, excessive security, including a triple lock front door, and CCTV coverage of the front door for surveillance, suggested the property was a drug premises.

It is alleged the possession of weapons was for protection against rival drug dealers who sometimes undertake raids called “drug rips”.

Police said they found 5.2 grams of what is believed to be ice in a ceiling cavity and a quantity of cannabis.

Three resealable plastic bags used for carrying drugs were also allegedly found in a bin in the kitchen.

Police said they found a large amount of cash in Young’s wallet as well as a substantial amount of money in the pocket of one of his jackets,

Cash was also found in a shower recess in an en suite off his bedroom.

A safe was also found in the roof cavity containing a significant amount of cash alleged to be the proceeds of crime.

He was refused bail and will reappear in Nowra Local Court on October 17

Another four people arrested in Thursday’s raids appeared in court before Magistrate Gabriel Fleming on Friday.

Reymar Wright, 32, of North Nowra, faces 12 charges, eight counts of supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, two counts of supplying a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis, supplying a prohibited drug, commercial quantity and with knowingly participating in a criminal group.

Alison Wendy Fay Braddick, 50,  faces 10 charges, seven counts of supplying prohibited drugs, with two counts of supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and supplying a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis.

Daniel Crump, 24, of Nowra was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug, supplying a prohibited drug, and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Hamish MacIntyre-Cathles, 38, of Bomaderry was charged with three counts of supplying a prohibited drug, supplying a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis and possessing a prohibited drug.

They were all refused bail to appear in Nowra Local Court on October 17.

A 27-year-old woman, also arrested at North Nowra during the raids, was charged with two counts of taking part in the supply of an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug.

She was granted bail to appear at Nowra Local Court on Monday, September 4.