Cocaine deal for well over $100k the last in six months of illicit drug supply

In return, he too got a plastic bag - his contained $133,500 in cash.

It was the young Melbourne man's job to complete the transaction on behalf of his boss, who Albury Local Court heard was allegedly involved in similar deals.

The Holbrook sale had been arranged for midday on December 7, but by 12.13pm - after Merlin offloaded his 425-gram haul - it all came unstuck.

The court was told how the buyer was in fact a police undercover officer and that moments after the deal was completed, police pulled up in a car beside them.

They opened the passenger door and arrested Merlin over the drugs, which analysis later found to have a purity of 31 per cent.

Merlin, 20, of the western suburb of Sunshine, was committed for sentence before the District Court in Albury.

That came after he pleaded guilty on Tuesday, October 3, to supplying 453.5 grams of cocaine, to supplying 111.255 grams of methamphetamine and to possessing, for the purpose of supply, that same amount of cocaine.

Director of Public Prosecutions representative Aaron Thomas withdrew eight other related charges.

Merlin's co-accused, his alleged criminal superior Danny Ibrahim, has his 11 charges, including the most serious allegation of large-scale commercial drug trafficking, listed for a committal mention in Albury Local Court on October 24.

The court was told, in agreed DPP facts, how police established what they dubbed Strike Force Geegullalong in June, 2022, to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs from Victoria into Albury.

In September last year, investigators identified Merlin as Ibrahim's driver.

Ibrahim allegedly organised a meeting between the undercover officer and Merlin for September 21, for the supply of 139.73 grams of methamphetamine.

The "witness" parked in the Woolworths car park in Wangaratta and then saw Merlin, who was known to him as "Alex", and approached him.

"In the car, Merlin handed the police witness a clear bag of methamphetamine and (got in exchange) $26,400 in cash."

Similar deals, the court heard, took place over that six-month period after the investigation was established, with one involving a cash payment of $30,750.

Merlin, who appeared via a video link to Kempsey jail, will be arraigned for sentence before the District Court on October 27.

He did not apply for bail.

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