SA court asked to show mercy to Huy Ca Truong over $235,000 international fish smuggling racket

AN aquarium business owner implicated in a $235,000 fish smuggling racket has blamed a Singaporean aquaculture “guru” for the crime that threatened Australia’s environment.

Huy Ca Truong

AN aquarium business owner implicated in a $235,000 fish smuggling racket has blamed a Singaporean aquaculture “guru” for the crime that threatened Australia’s environment.

Huy Ca Truong has asked the District Court to show mercy over his part in the illegal importation of 176 exotic Asian fish.

Truong’s co-accused, Kuok Weai Alex Chang, received a suspended sentence after telling the court he smuggled the fish to pay his share of their mutual business investment.

On Tuesday, Michael Woods, for Truong, said Chang had gone to great lengths to instigate that arrangement before attempting to smuggle fish in bulk.

“For a wedding present, Chang gave Truong a silver Arowana fish ... for Truong, that was a sign of trust and respect, and functioned as a relationship-building exercise,” he said.

“Chang also gave (live) fish as a gift to Truong’s son, and later visited Truong and said ‘here’s 20 fish, pay me once you’ve sold them’.

“Truong believed that, once the fish were in the country, they were legal to keep ... he put his trust in Chang, this man he called ‘the guru’.”

Truong, 35, of Allenby Gardens, has pleaded guilty to one count of importing a disease or pest to obtain a commercial advantage.

Prosecutors alleged his business was the intended recipient of 176 Arowana fish, worth $235,000, seized at Adelaide Airport in February last year.

Some of the fish were alive, some were dead, and all survivors had to be euthanased to prevent the spread of disease among native fish.

Kuok Weai Alex Chang outside the District Court.

Chang, 45, of Singapore, also pleaded guilty and asked for clemency, saying he was a respected aquaculture academic who had “lost face” in his homeland over the crime.

In November, he was released on a two-year, $1000 recognisance order — similar to a good behaviour bond.

On Tuesday, Mr Woods said his client disputed claims, made by Chang, that he was the driving force in the smuggling plan.

He conceded his client knew the fish were being brought into Australia illegally, but wrongly believed there was no crime in keeping or selling them.

“In his mind, he was not bringing in a noxious fish that could poison the waterways,” he said.

“He justified it in his own mind that Chang was the wholesaler and, once he brought them in, he was allowed to keep them.”

Judge Stephen Millsteed was not impressed by that submission.

“These were fish that were smuggled into the country by Chang, and your client knew that,” he said.

“It’s not wilful blindness — he had his eyes wide open.”

He remanded Truong on continuing bail for sentencing in three weeks.

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