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THE alleged leader of a sophisticated Bendigo drug syndicate has been formally charged with drug trafficking.
Police charged Dean Poot, 25, on Wednesday with trafficking a commercial quantity of a drug of dependence, four months after he was taken into custody following a raid on his Strathdale residence.
Poot appeared by video link in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and did not apply for bail.
The charge was added as investigators continue to analyse Poot’s computer for evidence, alleging he had imported an individual quantity of ice valued at $100,000.
The raid uncovered 75 grams of ice, $20,000 cash and fraudulent identities. Police also allege Poot accessed someone else’s bank account and left it $88,000 in debt.
Poot is also facing multiple fraud charges for allegedly stealing the identities of people to import drugs using the “dark web” – an unregulated and anonymous part of the internet.
The investigation has been passed on to Victoria Police’s fraud squad.
Prosecutor Sergeant David Somerton said police believed the results of an initial fraud investigation were “the tip of the iceberg”.
Police allege Poot imported the drugs to addresses in Melbourne, before they were distributed to a network of associates in Bendigo to be sold in the community.
Co-accused Daniel Patullo, 26, also appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday but is unlikely to face the severe drug trafficking charge, the court heard.
Police allege Patullo received two stolen cars, valued at $31,000 and $20,000, and allege he was involved in the drug syndicate. He remains on bail.
Magistrate Jennifer Tregent was keen for Poot and Patullo, as well as third co-accused Zachary Murray, to appear in court in succession.
However, the court was told Poot’s matter was likely to end up in the County Court, and Patullo and Murray were likely to remain in the Magistrates’ Court.
Ms Tregent said having the three cases proceed separate to one another could create difficulties.
“They will all be pointing their fingers, saying ‘oh, that’s not me, that’s the chap down in the other court’,” she said.
The addition of the trafficking a commercial quantity charge on Wednesday also frustrated Ms Tregent, as the court had not been informed of the change.
“This is a mess,” she said.
The three men will appear in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on September 14.