21 July 2026 , 08:57
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A former Melbourne private schoolboy has been exposed as an alleged major supplier of cocaine to one of Melbourne’s wealthiest suburbs.
Jesse Doree, 28, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine.
The suspected drug dealer was taken down after a month-long covert police investigation into the ’alleged distribution of illicit substances across the Brighton area’.
Doree, who has a prior for trafficking cocaine, was arrested after police raided his girlfriend Romy Hill’s North Road unit in Brighton East on Monday.
The court heard investigators searched the home and multiple vehicles and seized an estimated 300 grams of drugs, including cocaine, in multiple zip-lock bags.
Police alleged the cocaine had an estimated street value of $100,000 while investigators also seized ketamine and prescription medication.
Detectives also seized $45,000 in cash alleged to be the proceeds of crime.
Doree was arrested and hauled away for questioning while Ms Hill was arrested and released on summons.
Jesse Doree, 28, (left), was arrested at his partner Romy Hill’s Brighton East unit
Police led Doree away after allegedly seizing drugs and cash from a Brighton East unit
It’s alleged Doree was caught with more than 300 grams of cocaine
Police also searched a second unit which belonged to Ms Hill’s mum but found nothing illicit.
Doree told police he sourced his own prescription drugs because he ’didn’t trust doctors’ but said ’no comment’ when quizzed about the trafficking.
Lead investigator Detective Senior Constable Jack Wills told the court that police had seized two phones.
He claimed that one was a ’clean phone’ while the second phone was allegedly used for drug trafficking.
Detective Wills said police made a preliminary search of the second phone and found evidence of alleged trafficking, including videos of cocaine.
The court heard there were notes and screenshots about alleged drug debts owed to Doree, including amounts of $35,000 and $42,000.
Detective Wills alleged that police saw a list of names of people who owed drug debts to Mr Doree.
Police also claim there was a screenshot of a house on Google Maps with an instruction for ’someone’ to collect a debt for Doree, the court was told.
The court heard police would have the alleged drugs analysed and download the data from the seized phones.
Doree, who, the court heard, claims he does not use cocaine, was supported in court by his mother, who offered to give up a $20,000 surety to have him released on bail.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tim Bourke pressed Doree’s mother to see if she could put up an $800,000 Benalla property after she was told that if her son messed up on bail, she could lose the surety.
Entering the witness box, she said that she renovated homes for a living and was happy to put her house up.
She said she and her four sons, including Doree, were all ’very close’.
Doree’s brother, who also offered to put a $10,000 surety, was also present at court for the bail application, as was Ms Hill.
Doree, who the court heard is unemployed, was hoping to start an online lawyer look-up business and would work for a friend’s towing company if released.
However, the court was told the owner of the business had several priors for handling stolen goods, aggravated burglary and making a false report.
Doree also uses Valium and ’other opioid medication’ following a ’watersports accident’.
The court heard that Doree grew up in Melbourne’s inner south and attended the prestigious De La Salle College, where tuition starts at about $15,000 a year.
Detective Wills opposed Doree’s release because he feared he would fall back into allegedly trafficking drugs.
’I believe Mr Doree will continue to traffic drugs of dependence,’ Detective Wills said.
’I believe he’s built a lifestyle based on selling drugs and it would be extremely difficult for him to give that up.
’Realistically, I don’t believe he has gainful employment. He is attempting to start a business, but for him to get that off the ground he is going to require a fair bit of cash.
’We seized a lot of cash from his house and he’s going to have to try and make that up somehow and I believe that’s going to be through trafficking drugs.’
The prosecution submitted that Doree did not meet the threshold to be granted bail.
’[Detective Wills] has given evidence that the telecommunication material extracted from the accused’s mobile phone contains messages referred to monies owed and drug-related debts,’ the prosecutor submitted.
’The informant relies on these communications where the evidence is consistent [with] the participation in drug trafficking...
’The alleged offending before the court concerns commercial drug trafficking, such conduct, in respectful submission, is not impulsive nor opportunistic and the quantities involved suggest access to drug networks, distribution channels and a financial motive.’
The prosecution also submitted that Doree’s alleged owed drug debts ’suggests involvement in an ongoing drug enterprise’.
’Material demonstrates continuing access to persons and infrastructure capable of facilitating further trafficking activity,’ the prosecution submitted.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Bourke refused Doree bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations could carry a significant jail term with a non-parole period.
Doree, who was also charged with possession of prescription medication and ketamine, as well as dealing with the proceeds of crime, was remanded in custody to next face court on October 12.
World Affairs Correspondent