Texts reveal alleged drug ring used aliases Duke Dingbat and Bush Jesus

Andrew Washington, 26, faced Darwin Local Court charged with the possession and supply of commercial quantities of methamphetamine, ketamine, cocaine and cannabis. Police allege Mr Washington and co-accused Jossire Nditije, 26, discussed trafficking kilograms of drugs in group chats using codenames including Duke Dingbat, Hot Plate and Bush Jesus. What's next? Both men were denied bail and will return to court next month. Two alleged major players in an interstate drug syndicate will remain behind bars after their bail applications were refused by a Northern Territory judge this week. Andrew Washington faced Darwin Local Court today charged with the possession and supply of commercial quantities of methamphetamine, ketamine, cocaine and cannabis. The court heard Mr Washington and co-accused Jossire Nditije, both 26, were integral parts of an alleged drug ring with interstate ties, who at the height of their trade handled more than $1.5 million in cash. Mr Nditije faced court on the same charges as Mr Washington yesterday and the court today heard Mr Washington's charges might not "scratch the surface" of the alleged offending over a period of years. Prosecutor Sean Nottle read aloud from a text message sent in December 2024, in which Mr Washington allegedly said "I've been doing this for three years with mass supply and no arrests". Mr Nottle said police had also accessed group chat messages detailing the alleged transportation of five clothes dryers into the NT with large quantities of drugs secreted inside. "[They found] photos, messages and overt expressions that the group had found the truck, deconstructed the dryers and then sent photos through of what had in fact been recovered," he said. "[It is] one of the more significant drug enterprises the Northern Territory has seen in recent times." The court heard Mr Washington had been on bail for prior alleged offending, but was re-arrested on the more serious charges once his alleged role at the "apex" of the drug ring was discovered. "The significance of the allegations are such that bail should and must be refused, and bail is refused," Judge David Woodroffe said. 'Duke Dingbat', 'Hot Plate' and 'Bush Jesus' The court heard Mr Washington, Mr Nditije and others allegedly communicated in group chats using codenames such as Duke Dingbat, Hot Plate and Bush Jesus but "the attribution of those particular handles and devices is still ongoing". Mr Nottle told the court police were still working their way through a backlog of group chat messages sent and received in 2024 and 2025, with 90 pages of messages sent in the month the five clothes dryers were transported. The court heard the machines allegedly contained 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2 kilograms of ketamine, 394 grams of cocaine and more than 9 kilograms of cannabis. Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris yesterday rejected Mr Nditije's lawyer's suggestion an around-the-clock curfew, a $10,000 bond from his mother and police access to his devices would mitigate any risk in granting him bail. Judge Morris said the allegations were "extremely serious". "The risk then of course is that he would not appear, that further offending might be committed, or that he might interfere with any further police investigation," she said. Mr Washington and Mr Nditije are both expected to return to court next month. [Image text:] BENNETT" LOCAL COURT