Rachid Essafa, Livia Ferron in court for producing drugs

A Moroccan drug kingpin and his pastry chef sidekick have been sentenced over their Queensland cannabis empire.

A Moroccan national, who stayed illegally in Australia for 20 years, and a former pastry chef have been sentenced over their roles in a cannabis empire.

Rachid Essafa and Livia Ferron, 58 appeared in Gympie District Court on Friday.

The court heard police first showed up at Essafa’s Carters Ridge home on December 17, 2019 and discovered a massive “marijuana factory,” including a shed and six shipping containers where the plants were grown using a “sophisticated” hydroponic system.

In total, 399 cannabis plants weighing a total of 31kg, along with 18kg of dried cannabis was uncovered during the search.

The plants alone were valued up to $309,000, Judge Porter told the court.

The “factory” was operated by three men, two of which were sentenced in Gympie District Court in 2021.

Essafa however, pulled up to his home to see the police vehicles and, in a panic, backed out and took off in his car.

Almost a year later, on December 3, 2020, police found Essafa living with Ferron at a home in Cooroy.

The Cooroy property once again had multiple rooms for different parts of the growing process, including a shed housing a “fully integrated [irrigation] system” paired with multi-tool drying racks and coat hangers inside a “drying room,” the court heard.

Rachid Essafa leaving Gympie District Court to return to jail.

The set-up also had airconditioning, trimmers and other machinery complete with plumbing and electricity, Crown Prosecutor Victoria Adams told the court.

The equipment was all purchased in brand new condition.

Police also found 5.6 kilograms of harvested, dried cannabis during the search warrant.

The plants found at Ferron’s property were valued up to $80, 000.

Ferron insisted while giving evidence that she did not sell the drug, only making cannabis oil for relief from medical conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome.

Judge Porter, however, said the facts were “directly inconsistent” with her claims of only making oil, considering dried cannabis leaves were also discovered.

Livia Ferron leaving Gympie District Court on Friday.

He named the oil just “an additional advantage” of the venture.

The pair was arrested at the home and Ferron was released on bail.

Essafa, however, was in a different position.

When police asked for his name, he provided a false ID, the court heard.

He also refused to provide a passcode to unlock his phone.

When his real identity was finally revealed, it was discovered Essafa travelled to Australia on a three-month visa more than 20 years ago.

He was sent to jail and has now spent 652 days in custody.

Ferron migrated from Europe in 2001 and worked as a pastry chef in Melbourne before she moved to Queensland.

She pleaded guilty to one count of producing cannabis and one count of possessing cannabis and was sentenced to two years imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years.

Rachid Essafa pleaded guilty to four counts count producing drugs, three counts of possessing drugs, one count of possessing a thing used in connection of producing drugs, one count of producing and possessing drugs, one count of contravening an order for information to gain access to a digital device, nine counts of using anything in the commission of a crime, one count of contravening an order for information to gain access to an electronic device, one count of contravening a direction, one count of possessing property used in the commission of a drug offence and one count of possessing tainted property.

He was sentenced to two years and six months in jail, suspended for three years after serving 10 months.

He is expected to be returned to Morocco.