A MAN and a woman have each fronted court for the first time, charged in connection to a police sting targeting the Tamworth party drug scene.
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Tamworth's Sophie Langenbaker and Armidale's Nathan James Ray are accused of being involved in an alleged drug ring that was supplying MDMA, or ecstasy as it's commonly known, in Tamworth and further afield in the New England.
Langenbaker, 21, faces two charges: one count of supplying less than an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, and one count of participating in a criminal group and contributing to criminal activity.
She did not enter pleas during a brief appearance before a registrar in Tamworth Local Court this week, and the case was adjourned until next month.
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Ray, 18, is facing three charges and fronted Armidale Local Court on Monday for the first time since his arrest in Armidale in December.
He faces three separate charges of supplying a prohibited drug that is more than the indictable quantity.
During the court appearance, Ray pleaded guilty to all three charges. Magistrate Michael Holmes adjourned the case to mid-February.
The pair are two of 12 people arrested by police from Strike Force Heyward.
Together the 12 are facing a combined 64 offences, including ongoing supply and large commercial supply of MDMA, or ecstasy.
Hunter Ford, 20, Corey Cutmore, Stephanie Lorraine Jackson and Kosta Sakellariou are behind bars - all denied bail in separate courts for their charges.
Senior Oxley police said the operation was being led by the Oxley Target Action Group and was launched to target the party drug scene in and around licensed premises in Tamworth.
Investigators said the operation's scope widened as new evidence came to light.
People from Tamworth, as well as some from the Hunter, Port Stephens and Armidale have been charged, accused of drug supply or being involved in the alleged drug ring.