The youngest of three people arrested over an alleged multi-million dollar dark web drug ring has been refused bail.
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Patricia Koullias, 20, of Sydney, who faces five counts of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and knowingly participating in a criminal group applied for bail before Nowra Local Court Magistrate Gabriel Fleming on Friday.
Police allege she, along with her older sister Shanese Koullias, 24, of Callala Bay and Cody Ward, 25, of Callala Beach, were part of a drug syndicate that dealt around $17 million of drugs across the nation via the dark web.
The trio were charged in February with police alleging Ward was operating as an online vendor and supplying prohibited drugs, including cocaine, MDMA, LSD, cannabis, methylamphetamine, amphetamine, and prescription medication.
Detectives from the State Crime Command's Criminal Groups Squad established Strike Force Royden in April last year, to investigate criminal networks involved in the supply of illicit drugs in NSW and identified a "technologically-sophisticated online drug distribution network" operating from the South Coast.
Police estimate the syndicate to have dealt around $17 million of drugs across the nation.
During raids on five properties, officers recovered 2.5kg of white powder, 200g of MDMA, more than 100,000 LSD tabs and a significant quantity of Xanax made to look like candy, sophisticated computer equipment, more than $80,000 cash and several vehicles including a Mercedes-Benz were also seized.
In May police laid additional charges against both Ward and Shanese Koullias.
Ward faces 25 charges: 11 counts of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, two counts of supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, three counts of possessing a prohibited drug, four counts of importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, two counts of importing a marketable quantity of border-controlled drugs, attempting to prescribe a restricted substance, knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Shanese Koullias faces five extra charges of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, three counts of possessing a prohibited drug and attempting to prescribe a restricted substance.
All three are due to reappear in Nowra Local Court in July.
Read more: Crime/Court
