PROSECUTORS have finalised the charges against the brother of former NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole, who is accused of running a criminal syndicate that supplied kilograms of methamphetamine across the Hunter and Central Coast.
Joshua Toole, 38, was represented by solicitor Drew Hamilton when his matter was mentioned in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday and prosecutors revealed they would proceed with three serious charges, including supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and knowingly direct the activities of a criminal group.
The charge of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug carries a maximum of life imprisonment.
Court documents reveal prosecutors will be withdrawing 18 other charges, including multiple counts of supplying a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis.
Joshua Toole, who was granted strict conditional bail in December due to the "unacceptable" conditions he was subjected to in custody because of his brother's public status, will next appear in court in July.
Joshua Toole, as well as Peter Charles Ninnes, 43, Tahley Anne Partland, 24, and David Bui, 42, were arrested in October after Strike Force Great detectives conducted vehicle stops and raided properties at Belmont, Belmont North, Killarney Vale, Nords Wharf and Wadalba.
As part of the raids, police allege they seized more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $2 million, as well as $220,000 in cash, a gel-blaster firearm and electronic devices.
Detectives from the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad, in partnership with the NSW Crime Commission, established Strike Force Great in April last year to investigate the supply of ice throughout the Hunter and Central Coast.
Paul Toole was the NSW Deputy Premier and NSW Police Minister at the time of his brother's highly publicised arrest and is now the Shadow Minister for Police since the Labor party took power in March.
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