POLICE claim the Tamworth "ice castle" has "been closed for business", with eight men and women facing more than 100 drug and firearm charges after officers smashed the alleged crime ring.
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Detectives arrested a ninth man in connection to the secret sting, code-named Strike Force Radius, on Thursday afternoon. He was charged late on Thursday night for his alleged role in the "syndicate" and will front court on Friday.
Stephen Ross Hanshaw is alleged to be one of the main culprits in the drug and gun supply ring; police claim he was operating the "ice castle business" out of his Petra Avenue housing commission unit.
"[It] is probably known as the ice castle by the locals, and we can happily say that ice castle is now closed for business," Oxley Detective Acting Inspector Jason Darcy said on Thursday.
NAMES REVEALED
He and his partner Rebecca Joan Hanshaw, as well as Melanie Caldwell, Cory Alan Cloake, Anthony Edward Stanshall and Shaun Andrew Winsor are all behind bars after being refused bail in Tamworth Local Court. They are yet to enter pleas.
Co-accused Sharon Strudwick, 54, and Simone Leah Hatch, 40, have pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in court, after police swooped on them in Denison Street and Kirkham Crescent on Thursday.
They've been ordered to abstain from drugs, are subject to a curfew and will undergo assessments to participate in a rehabilitation program in the community.
Stephen and Rebecca Hanshaw face life behind bars for their alleged role, and family of the pair were visibly upset as the two were ordered to remain in custody until August.
THE MAIN TARGET: POLICE
The court heard Stephen Hanshaw - who is facing 44 drug and firearm supply offences - had "quite significant ulcers on his feet", had a back injury, and was in "significant pain" and under "significant stress".
Solicitor Tess Mulock said her client had a "deep-seated substance abuse issue, particularly in relation to methylamphetmaine and fentanyl" and he wanted to undertake rehabilitation for the 30-year addictions in the community.
The court was told the accused was on a disability support pension for his ongoing injuries and her submissions "would amount to showing cause" why he shouldn't be detained.
Sergeant Matt Pawsey argued against bail and said the medical issues could be "addressed in custody" - something magistrate Julie Soars found, ordering the 49-year-old be taken to prison.
He told family he loved them as he was led away.
Cloake is facing 24 drug and gun dealing charges, and the court was told the case against 28-year-old Winsor centred on supplying a shortened gun.
The court heard he had "driving matters and domestic violence matters on his record, nothing of this nature".
Miss Mulock said her client had never been in custody and "would be under quite significant stress", and a "health condition would be exacerbated in custody and heightened".
She said he had an "ongoing" addiction to cannabis and methylamphetamine, but Ms Soars rejected a submission the case wasn't strong.
"It doesn't look to me like it's a weak police case," she told the court.
"I can't see any inherent weaknesses in it."
Sergeant Pawsey said Winsor was accused of supplying a "very dangerous firearm being passed onto other criminal persons" and he hadn't met the show-cause test for why he should be released on bail.
Winsor dropped his head onto the dock as Ms Soars refused bail, telling the court: "Unfortunately, the seriousness of these matters ... don't make out show cause [for release]."