Drug raid puts end to wedding plans

Updated November 7 2012 - 11:29am, first published September 19 2008 - 12:25am
Leanne Elizabeth Walker: accused.
Leanne Elizabeth Walker: accused.

In the raft of bail applications yesterday, Ms Walker was claimed to have helped fund her daughter Jamie Lee Hurle's wedding.On Tuesday, however, police seized the wedding dress during one of five Warrnambool and district raids.Ms Hurle, 21, of Karong Court, is one of 12 co-offenders charged with conspiracy to traffic ecstasy and amphetamines.She and her mother were yesterday refused bail and have been remanded in custody until December 5 for a committal mention.Mr Eccles and another man, Tyson Debono, 18, of Tylden Street, Dennington, are alleged to be the drug ring's key salesmen and were also remanded in custody.Two Melbourne men who police claim were the main suppliers, Bill Nikolakos and Vinny Marino, and alleged courier Sussanne Diacono, have also been charged with conspiring to traffic a commercial quantity of drugs and had their Melbourne cases adjourned until December 9. Detective Senior Constable Ryan yesterday claimed in court that Mr Nikolakos was a large upper-level Melbourne drug dealer while Mr Marino was a courier and standover man.He said that in Warrnambool raids on Tuesday a canister containing 106 grams of vacuum-packed amphetamines was also found.He said most of the seized drugs had already been analysed but about 500 evidentiary telephone calls were still to be transcribed. Other Warrnambool co-accused, Casey Walker, 18, of Queens Road, Daniel Greenwood, 24, of Karong Court, Pauline Haebich, of Whitehead Court, and Maxwell David Brown, of Merri Street, were bailed with conditions, including sureties of up to $10,000, to reappear in court on December 5. Detective Senior Constable Ryan said Leanne Walker's de facto partner, Darren Irving, had "done a runner" after a domestic argument on Monday night and fled with drugs and as much as $1800 in cash.Magistrate Ian von Einem yesterday said it was a large-scale drug operation and the police appeared to have a strong case.

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