Hung Yung Tran convicted for supply commercial quantity of cannabis

A courier driver who bought a bright yellow toolbox from Bunnings to hide more than 60 kilograms of cannabis came unstuck when he tried to cross the border at Tweed Heads.

Hung Yung Tran outside Lismore District Court on Friday after being convicted of trying to move a whopping 145kg of cannabis over the Queensland-NSW border at Tweed Heads.

A Sydney courier who had more than 60 kilograms of cannabis in a toolbox bolted to the floor of his delivery van came unstuck at Tweed Heads when he was caught out at a Covid police border check.

Hung Yung Tran appeared before Lismore District Court on Friday, May 5 for sentence.

He pleaded guilty in Lismore District Court in February to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, having custody of a knife in a public place, not complying with a public health order and travelling from metropolitan Sydney to NSW outside area.

Hung Yung Tran outside Lismore District Court on Friday.

Prosecutor Ken Gilson told the court on Friday Tran agreed to carry the cannabis only because he said he “needed the money”.

The father of five had ceased his job as a construction labourer and began a self-employed delivery service making $500-$600 a week.

The court heard prior to offending Tran had a mortgage on a home in Melbourne for around $320,000. Afterwards Tran lived with his mother and cousins.

Police found 51 vacuum seal bags full of marijuana in a hot water system, a further 47 bags in a second hot water system and 82 inside a toolbox during a stop at the Queensland border on Griffith St on August 19, 2021.

Mr Gilson told the court Tran had bought the toolbox to smuggle cannabis into Qld just days earlier, and was offered a $2200 fee to make the delivery.

Mr Gilson said Tran’s behaviour was “very risky” knowing the borders between NSW and Qld were closed at the time due to Covid restrictions.

Tran displayed an “attitude” and initially said he was unaware the toolbox had cannabis inside, a report revealed.

“I knew about it,” Tran told the court, “but I didn’t want to know anything about it.”

Mr Gilson said Tran’s behaviour was “very risky” knowing the borders between NSW and Qld were closed at the time due to Covid restrictions, and that police were checking permits for people to pass.

“You tried several times to cross the border,” he said.

82 vacuum sealed bags of marijuana were found inside the toolbox, the court heard.

Receipts found in Tran’s vehicle showed he bought the toolbox from Bunnings five days before the trip and he was seen on CCTV purchasing the strong box.

Hung Yung Tran outside Lismore District Court on Friday.

Defence lawyer Karl Brandon told the court Tran has a criminal history, but previous offending was more than 20 years ago and that this was his first offence related to drugs.

“He didn’t profit from the sale of drugs,” Mr Brandon said.

“He has no skills except those from labouring in construction and during his time on bail he has secured employment with Granny Flat Solutions in Sydney.”

Mr Brandon told the court Tran initially denied offending, but later accepted responsibility and “regretted his decision”.

“He has the support of his family in Sydney – an intensive corrections order is appropriate,” he said.

Mr Brandon argued Tran was naive about what he was getting himself into.

However, Judge Jennifer English said she found Tran was “not naive” and knew the full risk of what he was doing.

She said there was “nothing sophisticated” about hiding cannabis in a toolbox to smuggle it interstate.

“Cannabis is a serious drug,” Ms English said.

She said it can cause a myriad of mental illness including schizophrenia, paranoia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

145kg of cannabis was discovered on August 19 2021 at a border checkpoint in a car driven by Hung Yung Tran from Greater Sydney.

Tran sat in the dock with his head hung low, barely moving.

“I find he is remorseful,” Ms English said.

Judge English reiterated the seriousness of the matter even though Tran was assessed as “low risk” of reoffending.

Tran was convicted on all charges and sentenced to a two-year intensive correction order.

He was fined $100 for travelling from metropolitan Sydney area to NSW outside area.

Tran was further ordered to perform 250 hours of community service work and must report to Bankstown community corrections within the week.