A woman accused of peddling the drug gamma-butyrolactone, commonly known as GBL or liquid ecstasy, from her North Wollongong apartment in conjunction with two other alleged drug dealers has been identified in court as Jade Asher.
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The 36-year-old unemployed woman was arrested earlier this month just days after police carried out joint raids on multiple Illawarra properties, including the Novotel North Beach Hotel at North Wollongong.
Police will allege Asher helped Wollongong man Jason Amoroso, who was arrested at the hotel during the raid, and a second woman, Kelly Dent, run a drug supply syndicate primarily responsible for dealing in GBL over a period of about three months.
In charges sheets tendered in Wollongong Local Court, police claim Asher's drug dealing was confined to a one-month period.
It is alleged she was monitored by police as she dealt 270ml of GBL and 3.1g of methamphetamine "for financial reward" between April 23 and May 19.
She is also accused of using her house as a drug premises during the same period.
Asher was remanded in custody at the time of her arrest.
She sought release on bail in Wollongong Local Court the following day to attend a live-in residential rehabilitation program but the court heard she was yet to secure a permanent spot.
The case was adjourned for Asher's legal team to make further investigations, however defence lawyer Matthew Barnes told the court on Friday a place had still not been confirmed for Asher.
He formally withdrew Asher's bail application and the case was adjourned to next month.
Further details of Asher's alleged involvement in the syndicate are yet to be revealed in court.
Meanwhile, police will allege Asher's co-accused, Jason Amoroso, was the most prolific supplier of the trio, with detectives claiming they collected extensive evidence of his involvement in the supply of GBL throughout the Illawarra between April and August.
A phone tap on his mobile allegedly intercepted hundreds of phone calls and text messages relating to the supply of drugs to eager customers, as well as discussions Amoroso had with multiple up-line dealers to ensure he had a regular supply in stock.
The court heard the street price of methamphetamine increased dramatically while police were watching Amoroso, which investigators attributed to restrictions in supply due to the COVD-19 pandemic.
They said as a result, several of Amoroso's customers switched from ice to GBL, which Amoroso allegedly purchased for $2 per millilitre and on-sold for $5 a millilitre.
Police will allege Amoroso was recorded selling almost a litre of GBL between April 23 and August 6, along with 41g of ice during the same time period.
In facts tendered in court during Amoroso's bail application, police allege syndicate member Kelly Dent travelled to Sydney in mid-July to pick up 2lt of GBL from an up-line supplier but was stopped by detectives on her return trip and her entire haul was confiscated.
She was subsequently overheard on intercepted telephone calls telling Amoroso "I'm going to jail Jas".
Meanwhile, police will allege Amoroso moved between five premises while police were watching him, including temporarily living at three hotels. Every time he moved, Amoroso would tell his customers so they could visit him at the new address, police said.
During his arrest at the Wollongong Novotel, police allegedly located small vials inside his hotel room containing GBL.
Amoroso was subsequently refused bail on five drug-related charges.
His matter will return to court later this year.
Kelly Dent is currently on police bail and is due to appear in court on September 11.
