Sydney’s Thanh Ian Tu, 27, sentenced in Lismore court after almost $250,000 found in D-Max ute’s hidden compartment

A Sydney man was busted with almost $250,000 cash in a ute’s hidden compartment after he was pulled over and tested positive to meth and cocaine on a North Coast highway. Here’s the latest.

A Sydney man was busted with almost $250,000 cash in a ute’s hidden compartment after he was pulled over and tested positive to meth and cocaine on a northern NSW highway.

Western Sydney’s Thanh Ian Tu, 27, faced Judge Jonathan Priestley at Lismore District Court for sentencing on a raft of drugs, weapons, driving and proceeds of a crime offences.

That includes four counts of dealing with proceeds of crime valued at more than $100,000, and one count each of drug possession, having an unauthorised pistol, driving a vehicle with an illicit drug in his blood (second offence), driving unlicensed and fraudulently altering or using a driver’s licence.

Thanh Ian Tu was busted with a huge amount of cash. Picture: Jono Searle.

He was intercepted by police about 3pm on September 1, 2022, court documents state.

Officers pulled over an Isuzu D-Max about three kilometres south of the Pimlico Rd intersection on the Pacific Highway, Pimlico.

Tu told officers he was returning to Sydney after a weekend in Brisbane for a friend’s birthday.

He was tested for drugs roadside and at Ballina Police Station, recording positive readings.

Tu was disqualified from driving at the time and produced a licence with a fake name.

A detective senior constable asked Tu if he would find cash in the car and Tu told him he would not.

Police found homemade switches and loose interior pieces in the ute, and soon found a stash with $249,600. Tu also had $500 in cash in 50 dollar notes on him.

A NSW Police officer conducting an RBT. File image.

Tu told police he was paid cash in hand, but police state he was seemingly unemployed.

Police found a small amount of cocaine, towed the vehicle and raided a Bonnyrigg property, finding an air gun and safe containing $13,850.

In court, Judge Priestley asked defence lawyer James Lang: “Does he know how much trouble he’s in?”

Tu’s offending occurred while he was 10 months into a community correction order for similar crimes. Mr Lang asked the court to consider a new intensive correction order.

Tu told police the cocaine was for recreational use, however, Judge Priestley said it was hard not to be sceptical.

He told the court it was “quite obviously” found in the context of a larger operation, and that Tu did not appreciate the dangers of drugs.

“He’s got a quarter of a million bucks in the back of his car … ,” Judge Priestley exclaimed.

It was alleged Tu’s associates were in the drug trade.

Tu failed a drug test and his car was searched.

Tu told a psychologist he did not believe he was affected by drugs while driving and did not realise possessing the gun was illegal.

“He expresses remorse – and at the same time comes up with frankly unacceptable stories about the source of the cash that’s the subject of the events,” Mr Priestley said.

Tu said he was struggling financially at the time and trying to “get back on his feet”.

“The Crown makes the reasonable submission that times shouldn’t be too tough with $13,850 in cash savings in your bedroom,” Judge Priestley said.

Mr Lang said Tu had been compliant after time being behind bars, completed previous community service hours and had found work in an Aldi warehouse.

“Jail made me get my s – t together,” Tu told the court.

“I’ve settled down, and I have a daughter.”

Prosecutor Luke Boenisch said: “He hasn’t acknowledged the seriousness of what he’s done and he’s tried to blame other factors.”

Thanh Ian Tu faced Lismore District Court.

He said Tu was not remorseful, which “doesn’t bode well” for rehabilitation via another sentence served in the community.

Judge Priestley said: “I suspect he is more than a recreational drug user and that is something he needs to address.”

But he added: “I think there is a case for special circumstances considering he has had a realisation he is wasting his life on drugs and when he gets out of jail to make sure he doesn’t return to jail.”

Tu was convicted, fined $1000 and sentenced to a two-year community correction order and a 12-month intensive correction order.

He was ordered to return to Sydney to live and disqualified from driving for six months.