Palmerston nail salon owner Thi Phuoc Dung Le denied bail for alleged role in international drug syndicate

A Top End nail technician who allegedly used her salon as a base for an international drug trafficking scheme has made a bid for bail.

On Friday Thi Phuoc Dung Le appeared in Darwin Local Court. Pic: iStock

A Palmerston nail technician who allegedly used her at-home salon as a base for an international drug trafficking scheme has been denied bail.

On Friday Thi Phuoc Dung Le appeared in Darwin Local Court for a bail application after being charged with possessing and supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis, and possessing property in the commission of an offence.

The court has previously heard allegations the Vietnamese-linked syndicate sent large amounts of cannabis from Melbourne to Darwin through the mail, and had $3m laundered through a casino.

It was alleged the 58-year-old woman was observed by police sending a parcel containing $77,000 in cash at Australia Post to her Victorian-based collaborators.

When she was arrested Ms Le allegedly had more than $9000 cash in her handbag, with police seizing large quantities of cannabis at the home.

Judge Fong Lim heard there were concerns Ms Le would restart operations from her home salon. Pic: iStock

Her barrister Lyma Nguyen said the Australian citizen had no criminal history, and during her first time in custody she had been exposed to “appalling” conditions in the Palmerston watch house for more than two weeks.

“The last 15 days have been a real wake up call for her,” Ms Nguyen said.

She said her client needed to return to work to pay her bills and mortgage, and wished to reopen her Palmerston-based home nail salon business.

Ms Nguyen said Ms Le had “four dogs at home that she loves very much” who she was worried about, and while in custody had been unable to call her lonely, elderly Vietnam-based mother to provide her emotional support.

Ms Nguyen proposed bail to Ms Le’s Palmerston home on the condition she surrender her passport, comply with exclusion zones, and electronic monitoring.

The prosecutor alleged the exact same home where Ms Le ran her nail salon was also where “the drug trade was taking place primarily”.

Judge Tanya Fong Lim heard there were concerns Ms Le would restart the “regular drug trafficking operation” in order to recoup the losses from the police bust.

Ms Le’s application was rejected and her matter was adjourned to August 13.

Originally published as Palmerston nail salon owner Thi Phuoc Dung Le denied bail for alleged role in international drug syndicate