Sayyed Hashem Mirlohi in Coffs court via AVL from Grafton on drug charges

More than 1300 cannabis plants were allegedly found in a hothouse meant for cucumbers, on a farm north of Coffs Harbour.

The matter was adjourned to September 27.​

A US citizen facing drugs charges has been receiving death threats while remanded in custody at Grafton jail, a court heard.

Sayyed Hashem Mirlohi appeared in Coffs Harbour Local Court via audiovisual link from the Clarence Correctional Centre on Tuesday, August 23.

The 33-year-old is facing several charges including knowingly take part in cultivating greater than a commercial quantity of prohibited plants (1322 cannabis plants).

Magistrate Ian Rodgers told the court Mirlohi’s alleged role in the operation was at the lower end of the scale as a “crop sitter” for the plants which were located in a hothouse normally used for “cucumbers and the like” at a farm in Dirty Creek.

Mr Rodgers said “it seems inconceivable that he wouldn’t know” about the presence of the 1322 plants at the farm.

There are a number of cucumber and blueberry farms in the area, approximately 40km northwest of Coffs Harbour, inland from the coastal towns of Woolgoolga and Corindi Beach.

The court heard Mirlohi is a US citizen and that his visa expired two years ago.

He has been remanded in custody since his arrest late last month, and according to his lawyer, he has received several death threats during that time and has never been in a custodial setting before.

Inside the Clarence Correctional Centre - new Grafton jail.

An offer of a $3000 bond was also made as part of the bail application.

Mr Rodgers granted bail based on the $3000 surety and that Mirlohi report daily to Woolgoolga police station and not go near the farm at Dirty Creek or have anything to do with two others facing charges in relation to the alleged activity.

He has also been ordered not to go near an airport or make attempts to reobtain his passport.

The matter was adjourned to September 27 where he will face the following charges: possess prohibited drug (83 grams of cannabis resin); supply a prohibited drug (83 grams of cannabis resin); and knowingly take part in cultivate not less than large commercial quantity of a prohibited plant (1322 cannabis plants).

The offences were alleged to have occurred on July 28.