Thanh Sang Tran convicted of more drug charges after $40m sting operation

A man arrested as part of a bust at one of the largest marijuana farms in Queensland history has faced court over two more charges related to his role in the enterprise.

A man convicted for his role in working at one of the largest marijuana farm’s in the state has pleaded guilty to two more charges over his work as a “crop sitter” at the site.

Thanh Sang Tran, 32, appeared in Kingaroy Magistrates Court via video link on Thursday to plead guilty to two charges relating to the 2022 Boondooma drug bust where police seized $40m worth or marijuana.

Tran pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing a mobile phone used in the commission of a crime and one charge of possessing a large amount of cash suspected of being proceeds of a drug offence.

The court heard Tran had already been convicted of more serious charges relating to the same matter where he had been sentenced to a term in prison by a district court judge.

Police uncovered $40m worth of marijuana on a Boondooma property during a sting operation.

In 2022 police said they discovered the drug operation after stopping a vehicle on July 18, 2022 on the Warrego Highway.

After searching the vehicle, police officers located about 200kg of processed marijuana which police said was being transported from the property.

On August 4, 2022 at about 6am Toowoomba police, Proston police and the Drug and Serious Crime Group arrested seven men, not including Tran, after the raid on the Boondooma property.

Police located 42 growing shelters which contained almost 16,000 marijuana plants, 50kg of dried marijuana, as well as generators, hydroponic and other equipment.

They said the street value of the marijuana seized was estimated to be about $40m.

After the raid, Detective Inspector Phelps said it was one of the largest marijuana production sites ever seen in the state.

“It would certainly have taken some time to set up and then to start yielding the product, he said.

“There was certainly a substantial amount of effort gone into site selection, clearing the property, and establishing all the relevant equipment to produce this massive amount of (marijuana).”

Police uncovered $40m worth of marijuana including 50kg of dried marijuana on a Boondooma property during a sting operation.

Police Prosecutor Barry Stevens told the court on Thursday Tran was a “crop sitter” and supplied material to the premises.

“He was arrested on the 21st September after a raid … he was located at the Brisbane Domestic airport,” Sgt Stevens said.

“He had two mobile phones on his person and $10,000 cash ... proceeds of the enterprise.

“He refused to give the passwords to the phones.”

He said detectives were able to unlock the phones and found photographs of the marijuana operation.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said because Tran had already been fully sentenced in the District Court, he wouldn’t be further punished but a conviction would be recorded.