A Fairy Meadow mechanic who dealt cocaine to a close circle of friends was overheard using code words for his product in a bid to avoid police detection, a court has heard.
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Detectives attached to the Wollongong Drug Unit were listening in as Paul Jewell organised the drug deals on the phone on multiple occasions between December 2019 and March 2020.
Among those who were part of Jewell's close friendship group and allegedly benefitted from his drug associations was Wollongong lawyer Vic Cuoco, who was also arrested as part of the police operation that brought Jewell undone.
Cuoco has since pleaded guilty to his own set of cocaine supply charges.
A set of agreed facts tendered to Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday said police set up Strike Force Jacquie in October 2019 to investigate the actions of Jewell and Cuoco.
They began monitoring Jewell's phone calls in early December and secretly recorded him supplying small amount of cocaine to several close friends on multiple occasions between December 10 and 31.
Police said Jewell used code words to conceal his discussion of drugs, including "beer", "case of beer", "brackets", "receipt" and "invoice".
Meanwhile, on New Year's Eve, police attended Wilton Airport and stopped Jewell before he boarded a flight to the Hunter Valley.
He was found to have 3.72g of cocaine in his luggage and told police it was partially for personal use and partially to give to friends at the wedding they were attending.
Jewell was charged and released on bail.
It is alleged Jewell continued to supply cocaine to friends on multiple occasions up until his arrest on March 31.
Jewell supplied 7.7g of cocaine in total during between December and March, police said.
The 47-year-old did not appear in court on Tuesday but entered a plea of guilty to a single drug supply charge through his lawyer.
A psychological report will be prepared ahead of Jewell's sentencing on October 27.
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