Ngoc Nguyen sentenced for taking part in commercial drug supply

A court has heard why a carer and would-be nurse wound up driving over 70kg of cannabis only to be busted in Byron Bay.

A Brisbane student who was busted in Byron Bay attempting to drive over 70kg of cannabis across state lines was “desperate for money”, a court has heard

Ngoc Nguyen, 25, had lived a crime-free life as the carer for her dying dad before an attempt to courier 72.48kg of cannabis from Sydney to Brisbane along the Pacific Highway went horribly wrong.

Nguyen appeared for sentence in Lismore District Court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to knowingly taking part in a commercial supply of cannabis.

The court heard Nguyen flew Sydney about January 26, 2021, before picking up a Pantech truck she knew to be carrying a commercial supply of cannabis.

Her defence barrister Malcolm Ramage argued it couldn’t be proven Nguyen knew it was 72.48kg but rather about 25kg – the amount that constituted the commercial charge.

Nguyen’s fingerprints or DNA were also not located on the hollowed out plastic sheets police found the cannabis hidden in, the court heard.

“She didn’t see the actual cannabis but she assumed rightly there was a substantial amount there,” Mr Ramage said.

Nguyen and an unknown passenger drove the truck along the Pacific Highway before police noticed the truck was missing a mudguard and stopped the vehicle at McLeods Shoot on January 27.

A search revealed eight garbage bags containing 20 individual bags of cannabis leaf, the court heard.

A search near Byron Bay was conducted in which they found eight garbage bags containing 20 individual bags of cannabis leaf, the court heard. Picture: NSW Police

Nguyen spent just over four months in custody which the court heard had made her realise the harm drug supply could bring.

Mr Ramage said just prior to the arrest Nguyen had been a “selfless” carer for her deceased father with dementia who had become “disinhibited” and “unable to control outbursts of rage”.

He said Nguyen had dreams of opening her own business but between caring for her father and working, the offender became “increasingly short of money” and this led to the role as courier.

The court heard Nguyen had since enrolled in several nursing tertiary courses in Queensland which she planned to travel back and forth to from her new Tweed Heads address if she was given a non-custodial sentence.

Crown prosecutor Dyllon Westendorf said the act was one the North Coast saw “time and time again”.

“Unfortunately, this community sees this kind of conduct time and time again, especially along the Pacific Highway,” he said.

Judge Jonathan Priestley acknowledged Nguyen had gone through “exceptional hardship” looking after her father and other than the offending Nguyen was of good character.

“It goes very much to her good character to make the sacrifices she has made,” he said.

Judge Priestley acknowledged Nguyen was “desperate for money and had lots of bills to pay” which led her to the courier role.

He sentenced her to a 18-month intensive corrections order that expires on January 19, 2024.

While Judge Priestley was given the option to add community service, he said he didn’t want to “overload” Nguyen.