New details have emerged about the extent of the drug trafficking that went on at one of the two Melbourne music venues raided by police last month. Police claim Brunswick’s Railway Hotel were selling so many drugs, punters were forced to line up to purchase ice and cocaine.
As the Herald Sun reports, police told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that Railway Hotel manager Chris Lytras, 47, and Paul Polito, 37, both charged with trafficking offences, sold large quantities of drugs out of the upstairs office of the popular venue.
Drug trafficking at the venue was apparently so commonplace that an undercover operative was at one point forced to line up outside Lytras and Polito’s office with other drug buyers. Police reportedly found “substantial amount of drugs and cash” during their raid on the venue.
Some of the drugs were said to be of high purity, though others had been cut. In addition to selling cocaine and methamphetamine inside of the venue, police told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court they also seized a quantity of ecstasy tablets stamped with a “VW” logo.
Incredibly, police spent more than $67,000 purchasing drugs from the venue over the course of three months from December last year. In fact, Magistrate Peter Reardon was confused as to why police had to conduct 13 buys before they raided the venue.
Polito has been accused of “acting as a concierge”, taking drug buyers to the venue’s first-floor office where drugs were kept in a locked box. Polito was bailed on a $150,000 surety, whilst Lytras, whose partner owned the Railway Hotel, and another co-accused will remain behind bars.
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Meanwhile, Melbourne DJ Jason Kolbeck, co-owner of the Two Floors Up nightclub, which was raided as part of an unconnected operation last month, has been denied bail. Police reportedly found “several thousand ecstasy pills” as well methamphetamine during their raid.
As the Herald Sun reports, Kolbeck, believed to have a stake in the dance venue and charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of drugs, will remain behind bars after Magistrate John Hardy decided he was at high risk of reoffending due to the nature of the charges.
Despite the raids, both the Railway Hotel and Two Floors Up have been permitted to continue trading. Two Floors Up management recently took to Facebook to reassure fans the venue “is running as per normal and will continue to trade as expected every week”.
