They once shared everything, but nowadays Coniston twins Joel and Flinn Westman only see each on their court dates, when a Wollongong magistrate beams into their separate jails via audio-visual link.
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The brothers give each other a smile through the monitors, and a fond farewell before the link is cut.
"Love you Joel, take care."
"See you Flinny, love you."
In Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, fifteen months after they were arrested at their Wonson Avenue home, the twins admitted their role as kingpins in one of the region's most significant drug supply operations.
The court heard police were listening in on and filming the brothers from June-August last year as they discussed their cocaine and MDMA trade - everything from prices and quantities, gripes about unfavoured henchmen, plans to rob and "stab in the throat" an indebted customer and even the brothers' doubts - unwisely overcome - about a female customer whose offer to buy $91,000 worth of cocaine seemed too good to be true.
"Where's she getting $91,000 from? Bro, she looks like a cop," Joel told Flinn.
"I hope this chick is legit and buys 13 [ounces] a week," Flinn replied.
The woman was an undercover police officer and the deal she struck would cap off a major police operation, with officers swooping at dawn on August 16 and seizing an eight-ounce bag of cocaine before the sale played out.
Two days earlier, an associate had suggested the brothers avoid handing over all 13 of the requested ounces at once. Flinn replied, "I am. I'm doing eight [ounces] then five ... anything over nine is commercial."
"What happens if she gets you for a commercial in two days?" Joel asked.
"Bro how do they know it was me? It was [an associate who would make the delivery]," adding that he would attend in a separate car."
The deal was one of several the brothers arranged with undercover officers. The charges relate to the supply of 308 grams of MDMA - 4200 ecstasy pills - across five deals (four to undercover officers) and 557.2g of cocaine over six deals (five to undercover officers) between July 17 and August 16.
The deals were arranged on Snapchat and carried out by henchmen. Some played out in the cars of undercover officers parked at Wests Illawarra Leagues Club and KFC at Unanderra.
Despite their affectionate court showings, transcripts of the police surveillance show the brothers had their quarrels.
On July 31 they discussed the impact of Flinn's girlfriend on their relationship, and a newfound arrangement where they each kept the proceeds of their drug sales, rather than pooling funds.
Joel questioned why Flinn was taking on someone's "old customers".
"Why would you want to do that, your'e doing all of this for her [the girlfriend]," he said.
"I don't care," Flinn replied. "Money is money. It's for me, so I can f---ing live."
Joel said Flinn had proposed "lets see how much we [separately] earn then", and that he was holding him to it.
"Your words were, 'we sell what we keep (sic)', and you thought I wasn't going to call your bluff but I did, I went through wtih it. I'm not going to say, 'nah Flinn, let's stay 50/50'," he said, adding his brother had adopted a "lavish" lifestyle that included stays at the Sage Hotel costing $1100 a week.
The brothers each pleaded guilty to charges of supplying a commercial quantity of drugs, supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs and aggravated assault with intent to take a motor vehicle.
They were recorded plotting to rob a customer of his car over a $5-6000 drug debt, which they inflated to $18,000 when they confronted him, telling him, "give me the f---ing car or you're getting stabbed."
They brothers took the car - a white BMW, and Flinn later bragged to a friend about having assaulted the man.
"He bridged up to me for like one second. I was like, 'what c---', and - boom - hit him, one shot on the ground and I started laying into him."
Though the car was registered to the partner of the man's mother, the brothers retained it for their drug supply activities.
Another 14 charges against each man were withdrawn in court on Wednesday as part of a plea deal.
The pair will return to Wollongong District Court December 4 for sentencing proceedings.
Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
