Xuan Trieu Phan, 34, found with $200k cash in Stapylton

A Logan man driving to Brisbane from Melbourne was caught with $200,000 in cash in a backpack after police tracked him as part of a major drug trafficking operation.

Xuan Trieu Phan, 34, leaving Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

A Logan man driving to Brisbane from Melbourne was caught with $200,000 in cash in a backpack after police tracked him as part of a major drug trafficking operation.

Xuan Trieu Phan, 34, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on February 8 to one count of possessing a quantity of Australian currency obtained from trafficking or supplying a dangerous drug.

The court heard Phan was tracked by police driving a Land Rover from Melbourne to Brisbane on May 5 last year and arrested at a home in Stapylton.

A locked backpack was found in his possession which contained $200,000 in cash, which Phan knew came from the sale of drug, the court heard.

It was unclear what payment would be provided to Phan for driving the cash cross-border and whether the cash was from trafficking or was from supplying, the court was also told.

Defence lawyer John Jacob said his client had no criminal history and had made a stupid, one-off mistake.

“It is unclear as to what benefit he received from having the money but he understood he’d be collecting something,” he said.

“There was a limited nature in the offending, the bag was locked and he did not receive a key — it was a one-off incident he deeply regrets.”

The court heard Phan was born in Hong Kong and planned to live in Melbourne.

Judge Jodie Wooldridge said she accepted the behaviour was out of character and there was an early plea of guilty.

“You were identified as the driver travelling from Melbourne to Brisbane as part of a broader drug investigation,” she said.

“You made statements to police that you knew the bag contained cash and your actions can have a negative effect by essentially supporting drug trafficking.”

Phan had already served 14 days in pre-sentence custody after being arrested.

He was sentenced by Judge Wooldridge to two years’ prison, wholly suspended after 14 days.