Australian Vendor "Underline Cost" Jailed
~2 min read | Published on 2023-04-15, tagged Arrested, Darkweb-Vendor using 364 words.
A District Court in Soth Australia imprisoned a former police officer and one of his accomplices in a dark web drug trafficking operation that made up to $16,7000 every day.
Thomas James Booker, 28, a former South Australia Police(SAPOL) cop, and 25-year-old Ryan Jordan Suri-Tucker, were sentenced to prison for their roles in the distribution of large quantities of LSD, cocaine, cannabis, steroids, and other drugs through the "Underline Cost" vendor profile on dark web marketplaces such as the now-defunct Darkode.
The two men and Booker's girlfriend, 33-year-old Erin Gold, were arrested in November 2021 following an investigation by SAPOL's Financial and Cybercrime Investigation Branch and Australian Federal Police investigators.
Investigations into the trio's drug trafficking operation began as a result of the interception of an incoming package that carried over 8,000 LSD tablets. The package reportedly led the investigators to a mailbox. Surveillance revealed that Booker had been dropping drug packages at the mailbox.
Searches carried out at three properties associated with the trio resulted in the seizure of over $670,500 in cash and more than $469, 000 in cryptocurrency, the largest crypto seizure by SAPOL.
The investigators also seized undisclosed quantities of cocaine, LSD, cannabis, and steroids believed to be worth approximately $100,000.
Two residential properties and a sports motorcycle, valued at a total of $851,600 were also seized.
Booker pleaded guilty to more than 50 counts of drug trafficking and money laundering in July 2022. He admitted he was the one behind the prolific drug trafficking operation. He claimed the loss of his job during the COVID quarantine, the increase in demand for drugs during the quarantine, and his $6,700 a-week cocaine addiction made it impossible for him to end the operation.
Suri-Tucker pleaded guilty and disclosed that Brooker paid him $3,300 a month to store drugs in his grandparents' house in Adelaide. He also helped in the packaging and mailing of drug packages to their buyers.
Judge Geraldine Davison sentenced Brooker to 21 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 2037.
Suri-Tucker was sentenced to five years and ten months and will be eligible for parole after serving two years and six months of the sentence.
Booker, Gold and Suri-Tucker
Thomas James Booker, 28, a former South Australia Police(SAPOL) cop, and 25-year-old Ryan Jordan Suri-Tucker, were sentenced to prison for their roles in the distribution of large quantities of LSD, cocaine, cannabis, steroids, and other drugs through the "Underline Cost" vendor profile on dark web marketplaces such as the now-defunct Darkode.
The two men and Booker's girlfriend, 33-year-old Erin Gold, were arrested in November 2021 following an investigation by SAPOL's Financial and Cybercrime Investigation Branch and Australian Federal Police investigators.
Investigations into the trio's drug trafficking operation began as a result of the interception of an incoming package that carried over 8,000 LSD tablets. The package reportedly led the investigators to a mailbox. Surveillance revealed that Booker had been dropping drug packages at the mailbox.
Searches carried out at three properties associated with the trio resulted in the seizure of over $670,500 in cash and more than $469, 000 in cryptocurrency, the largest crypto seizure by SAPOL.
The seized cannabis
The investigators also seized undisclosed quantities of cocaine, LSD, cannabis, and steroids believed to be worth approximately $100,000.
The seized steroids
Two residential properties and a sports motorcycle, valued at a total of $851,600 were also seized.
Booker pleaded guilty to more than 50 counts of drug trafficking and money laundering in July 2022. He admitted he was the one behind the prolific drug trafficking operation. He claimed the loss of his job during the COVID quarantine, the increase in demand for drugs during the quarantine, and his $6,700 a-week cocaine addiction made it impossible for him to end the operation.
Suri-Tucker pleaded guilty and disclosed that Brooker paid him $3,300 a month to store drugs in his grandparents' house in Adelaide. He also helped in the packaging and mailing of drug packages to their buyers.
Judge Geraldine Davison sentenced Brooker to 21 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 2037.
Suri-Tucker was sentenced to five years and ten months and will be eligible for parole after serving two years and six months of the sentence.
