Another key player in a sophisticated drug manufacturing network operating across the Illawarra and other parts of New South Wales has admitted his involvement, shedding new light on the scale of the criminal operation.
Guilty Plea in Wollongong Court
Jack Williams, aged 24, formally entered guilty pleas at Wollongong Local Court to participating in a criminal group and taking part in the manufacture of a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs. The court heard detailed evidence about Williams' central role in the syndicate's activities throughout early 2024.
According to court documents, Williams leased a property at Springrange, located north of Canberra, in late January 2024. He used funds provided by the operation's principal, known only as 'Master', to pay the rent on the property that would become central to the drug manufacturing operation.
The Springrange Drug Laboratory
Between January and April 22, 2024, 'Master' and another accused man, Tyler Cookson-Davies, allegedly established a drug laboratory in a shed on the Springrange property. The facility was used to manufacture a large commercial quantity of MDMA, with forensic analysis later confirming the presence of the drug through chemical spill swabs taken from the shed floor.
Police intercepts of Williams' phone communications revealed he was receiving financial benefits from 'Master' for his involvement. Williams told his then-girlfriend he was promised $70,000 for each drug cook conducted by the syndicate, highlighting the operation's substantial financial scale.
Trail of Evidence Across NSW
Williams' responsibilities extended beyond property management. He collected items for drug manufacturing and cleaning operations, with police pulling him over in Penrith during April 2024 while he was towing a trailer loaded with chemicals.
An invoice showed he had acquired substantial quantities of acetone, toluene, methanol and caustic soda - all precursors for drug manufacturing. Williams had provided a fake address to the chemical supply business, and there was no evidence he used his own money to make the purchase.
Later that same month, Williams towed an enclosed trailer from the Springrange property to a lot on Creole Road in Albion Park Rail, where the syndicate maintained a shipping container storing precursor chemicals, equipment and drugs. The trailer contained laboratory equipment used to manufacture large commercial quantities of illicit drugs.
Police surveillance observed Williams enter the lot, disconnect the trailer, and depart. Six days later, co-offender Samuel Hollis and an unidentified man arrived at the location in a hire truck and began transferring items between vehicles.
Previous Convictions and Pending Sentencing
Samuel Hollis was stopped by police in southwest Sydney hours after the Albion Park Rail transfer and was found with chemicals capable of producing more than 90 kilograms of drugs. Hollis was sentenced in September 2025 to two and a half years in prison, with a non-parole period of one year and five months.
Williams was arrested in Lyons in the ACT in July 2024 and extradited to NSW before being granted conditional bail. He remains on bail and is scheduled to face Wollongong District Court in December for sentencing.
Two other co-accused, Matthew Joel Purches and Rhett Doherty, will also appear at Wollongong District Court in December, while Cookson-Davies is next due in Wollongong Local Court later in November.
