Home and Away star is arrested accused of masterminding a cocaine supply syndicate across Byron Bay

A former Home and Away actor has been accused of being the mastermind behind an alleged drug syndicate supplying cocaine across Byron Bay. 

Putu Winchester-Stanton, 44, was one of seven males arrested after police raided houses across the Byron Shire on Thursday April 22.

He was charged with 10 offences together with supplying a business amount of a prohibited drug and knowingly direct actions of prison group. 

The actor made headlines in September final yr after saying Melburnians who had moved to Byron made his ‘pores and skin crawl’ and had been ‘grasping and egocentric’.

Former Home and Away actor Putu Winchester-Stanton (proper) was arrested on April 22 

Police allege Winchester-Stanton (proper) was the mastermind of a cocaine supply ring in Byron

Police performed 4 search warrants at a Byron Bay enterprise and houses in Byron Bay, Bangalow and Mullumbimby.

Officers seized 340 grams of cocaine, $25,000 price of money and proceeds of crime in the course of the searches. 

Winchester-Stanton was arrested together with Zain Papa, 30, Bodene Lee Robertson, 32 and Clayton MacDonald, 44, and three different males.

Papa, Robertson and Macdonald – who’re going through a vary of cocaine supply costs – had temporary appearances at Byron Bay Native Court docket and had been all formally refused bail by Justice of the Peace Karen Stafford.  

After the arrests, Detective Appearing Superintendent Greg Thomas mentioned police wanted to guard vacationers within the widespread vacation area. 

‘The Far North Coast is regularly changing into more and more widespread with home vacationers, and it is our job to make sure locals and guests really feel secure in our vacation cities,’ he mentioned.  

Winchester-Stanton made his huge break starring as a class clown in Heartbreak Excessive (left)

Police seized 340 grams of cocaine and $25,000 price of money after looking 4 homes in Byron and surrounding suburbs 

Seven males had been arrested over the alleged cocaine syndicate working across Byron 

Winchester-Stanton was born in Indonesia and made his huge break starring in Heartbreak Excessive.

He appeared in 75 episodes from 1997 to 1999 taking part in the character of a loveable class clown within the Australian TV drama collection set in Sydney’s inner-city.

Winchester-Stanton additionally had minor roles in soaps Home and Away – showing in two episodes as a surfer named Pogo – and Water Rats in 2000.

The actor launched a scathing assault on vacationers to Byron Bay in September final yr.

‘You’ll be able to spot the Melbournians in a second,’ he informed the Herald Sun.

‘They only reek of Melbourne. Puffer jackets and ironed denims. I imply what’s with that?’  

He referred to as the vacationers ‘grasping and egocentric’ for coming to the city throughout Melbourne’s 112 day lockdown final yr.  

‘The tasteless mediocrity that plagues the grasping and egocentric simply oozes from their ironed denims,’ he mentioned.

‘They’re most likely up right here spending different folks’s cash. If they’re sneaky sufficient to get right here throughout this pandemic then think about what else they’re as much as. They make my pores and skin crawl.’ 

Winchester-Stanton beforehand referred to as vacationers to Byron ‘grasping and egocentric’ for coming to the city throughout Melbourne’s 112 day lockdown final yr