Brendan Farrugia completes good behaviour bond over drug, weapon charges

A concreter found with a sophisticated weed growing system and gun told police “bikies” had threatened him into growing marijuana in his shed, court documents reveal.

Brendan Farrugia told police “bikies” had threatened him into growing weed in his shed. Picture: iStock

A concreter found with a stolen rifle and sophisticated weed growing system told police “bikies” had threatened him into growing the drug in his shed, court documents reveal.

Brendan Samuel Farrugia, 39, appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday for a bond hearing where the charges against him were discharged.

The Anakie man had been placed on the good behaviour bond in May 2022 on charges of possessing and cultivating cannabis, possessing an unregistered firearm, dishonestly receiving stolen goods and stealing more than 13,000 kilowatts of electricity.

Farrugia complied with the undertaking, and magistrate John Lesser discharged the matters against him.

Documents released by the court reveal that Farrugia went to Lara Police Station on February 3, 2021 and told police he had been threatened by two “unknown males” he described as “bikies” at his concreting business, revealing that weed was growing there.

Half an hour later, Farrugia met police at his property in Anakie and led them to a shed.

“The accused stated he was unable to unlock the large shed on the property, as he left the keys at a friend’s house in Sunbury,” court documents state.

Farrugia forced open a roller door using his car to allow access, and directed officers to a hydroponic system growing cannabis in the corner.

The shed also contained a caravan, where a fully-loaded rifle was sitting on the dining table.

The rifle was later revealed to have been stolen in a 2014 burglary in Bellbrae.

That afternoon, police raided Farrugia’s address and seized 12 cannabis plants in a growing room, with a hydroponic system powered by an unauthorised connection to the electrical mains.

A “large quantity” of cannabis was found stored in two garbage bags.

The next day, Farrugia told officers the names of two men he said were “behind threats to him and his family” to grow cannabis in his shed, and agreed to come in the next day to provide a written statement.

Four days later, Farrugia told police he couldn’t commit to the statement, as he was away.

On February 10 2021, he agreed to make a statement but later changed his mind again.

According to court documents, Farrugia told police “unknown persons” associated to one of the men delivered the hydroponic equipment to his address.

Farrugia told them he “set up the lights, shrouds, watering systems and pots, and purchased the grow chemicals” while unknown persons filled the tubs with grow medium and planted the cannabis plants.

“The accused tended to the plants by watering and maintaining the lighting system in fear of threats and intimidation,” the documents state.

However, police documents state Farrugia was “unable to particularise actual threats” during the investigation, and later said on separate occasions he could not commit to providing a statement and would provide no comment in relation to the cannabis.

He declined to participate in a recorded interview; due to the limited information he provided, police were unable to connect the names provided to any crimes.

A conviction was recorded against Farrugia in May 2022.

Originally published as Brendan Farrugia completes good behaviour bond over drug, weapon charges