A Nowra man charged as part of a South Coast Police District investigation into an alleged large-scale drug supply has been jailed for three years and nine months.
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Paul Anthony Highley, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis and supplying a prohibited drug in Nowra District Court on Wednesday, June 24.
Highley was one of two men arrested and charged as part of Strike Force Carex's operation in Nowra and Moruya on June 25 last year.
The strike force was formed in December 2018 to investigate a suspected organised methylamphetamine (Ice) syndicate operating in Nowra, Moruya and surrounding areas.
In a statement of agreed facts, police said Highley was recorded during the undercover operation supplying a variety of quantities of ice on at least 12 occasions between February and May last year.
The drug deals took place in a number locations including car parks of the Bridge Tavern Hotel, McDonald's South Nowra, the Archer Hotel, Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen's Club, Hungry Jacks South Nowra and at Bendalong Road at Bendalong.
The quantity of drugs supplied during each instance varied from 2.89 grams through 26.7 grams and ranged in price from $800 through to $2350.
Court papers said between February 12, 2019 and March 6, 2019, he supplied 21.32 grams of ice valued at $4900, and between April 29, 2019 and May 28, 2019 he supplied 62.80 grams of ice valued at $14,000.
He also pleaded guilty to supplying a prohibited drug, after supplying 26.3 grams of ice at the Gateway Caravan Park at Nowra for $5500.
Two further charges of possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of supplying a prohibited drug were also taken into account during his sentencing.
Judge Stephen Norrish sentenced Highley to three years and nine months' jail, with a non-parole period of two years and three months.
He will be eligible for release on October 2021.