Eurobodalla men face court on drug charges

Eight more arrested in drug operation

Two Eurobodalla men will remain behind bars until their next court appearances in July after being arrested in drug raids on the South Coast on May 17. 

The men, along with two others from Sydney, appeared before Magistrate Doug Dick in Bega Local Court on May 18 after police executed 12 search warrants on the coast and in Sydney on Tuesday. 

Stephen Brian Ecclestone, 52, from Catalina was charged with three counts of taking part in supplying a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug, having goods suspected of being stolen in custody and dealing with property expected to be from proceeds of crime.

Ecclestone applied for bail but it was denied.

The prosecution opposed bail and said there was a risk Ecclestone would fail to appear.

Dressed in a green prison tracksuit, Ecclestone asked “so what happens about my dog and house?”. 

William Arthur Holmes, 31, of Moruya has been charged with four counts of supplying a prohibited drug.

He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. 

Prospect man Benjamin Fagalilo, 25, was charged with not disclosing the identity of a driver and taking part in supplying a prohibited drug.

Fagalilo did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. 

Samuel Leilua, 23, of Hoxton Park was charged with twelve counts of supplying a prohibited drug and did not apply for bail. It was formally refused. 

All four men will appear before Batemans Bay Local Court on July 11 via AVL. 

"The police have until the 29th of June to prepare their paper work," magistrate Dick said.

Officers from the Shoalhaven and Far South Coast Local Area Commands formed Strike Force Idlewild in December 2015 to investigate alleged drug supply across the two commands.

Shortly after 9am on Tuesday, May 17, police executed nine search warrants; five within the Shoalhaven Local Area Command (at Ulladulla, Burrill Lake and Worrigee), and four in the Far South Coast Local Area Command (Batemans Bay, Moruya, Surfside and Catalina).