Mangrove Mountain: $6M cannabis crop sitters Ngoc Chien Tran, Chuyen Van Ta and Tan Phat Vo plead guilty

Three Vietnamese nationals have pleaded guilty to “crop sitting” on three hydroponic cannabis plantations on the Central Coast and south west of Sydney worth well in excess of $6 million.

Police from the dedicated pot busting unit observed the “silhouette of cannabis plants” in greenhouses on a rural property south west of Sydney as well as DNA on a toothbrush at Mangrove Mountain to nab three men involved in the multimillion-dollar cultivation of marijuana, a court has heard.

Tan Phat Vo, 62, of Cabramatta, and Chuyen Van Ta, 55, of Edmondson Park in Sydney’s south west, faced Gosford Local Court on Friday where they both pleaded guilty to two counts of knowingly taking part in the commercial cultivation of cannabis.

Officers from the Drug and Firearms Squad’s Cannabis Cultivation Team began Strike Force Harthouse in 2019 to investigate the large scale cultivation of cannabis across NSW.

In March 2020 strike force investigators began surveillance on a rural property at 11 Pemberton Hill Rd, Mangrove Mountain, which had a number of commercial greenhouse structures on site.

An agreed set of facts state police observed four of eight greenhouses had cannabis growing in them while a number of other greenhouses housed waste cannabis in various states of decomposition, which indicated the harvesting of previous cannabis crops.

On June 22 police observed Vo and Ta arriving in a Toyota Hiace van registered in Ta’s name before they were captured on body worn video loading cannabis plants into the back of a ute.

The men were arrested and taken to Gosford Police Station where a Vietnamese interpreter was arranged but both men declined to be interviewed.

Vo and Ta were arrested loading cannabis into the back of a Hilux ute. Picture: NSW Police Force

Police seized a total of 996 cannabis plants, which officers estimated to have a street value of more than $3 million.

Ta’s DNA was found on a water bottle, a bottle of Mountain Dew, a toothbrush and reading glasses found at the site.

The facts state there was no evidence either man leased the property or funded the set up of the operation.

They were both adjourned to face Gosford District Court on June 30 to set a sentencing date.

Vo and Ta were arrested at Mangrove Mountain. Picture: NSW Police Force

Meanwhile 56-year-old Ngoc Chien Tran, of Riverwood, also faced Gosford Local Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to two counts of cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime.

An agreed set of facts states Strike Force Harthouse investigators began staking out a rural property at 69 Berecry Rd, Mangrove Mountain, in March 2021, and another property at 110 Priced Rd, Douglas Park, in April last year.

Police conducted a search of the Mangrove Mountain property in May where they seized 632 cannabis plants ranging from 30cm to 60cm tall.

Sticky to touch — the cannabis plants had bud that were ripe for harvest. Picture: NSW Police

“Police saw mature cannabis plants that were planted in black plastic pots with soil,” the facts state.

“The plants were in rows and each pot was connected to a black plastic irrigation and drip feeder system. The cannabis plants had buds which were sticky to touch.”

Police also seized various fertilisers, a high pressure hose, other black pots and lighting fixtures hanging from the frames of greenhouses,

“Inside the residence, two rooms had been converted into drying rooms for cannabis which contained transformers, lighting, drying racks and air filters,” the facts state.

Massive operation: police could see the “silhouette” of cannabis plants inside the greenhouses. Picture: NSW Police

On July 8 police attended the Douglas Park address and could see the “silhouette of cannabis plants” within a number of greenhouses.

A month later police went back and arrested Tran in the early hours of August 4 and seized 1248 cannabis plants along with scales, pumps, water systems, seedling trays and plastic sheeting which was used to cover windows.

The cannabis had an estimated street value of more than $3 million.

The facts state Tran told an interpreter at the time that: “All he knows is he has just been hired to work at the property where he was arrested and look after the cannabis”.

“It is agreed that the offender’s role is a crop sitter,” the facts state.

Tran was adjourned to face Gosford District Court on June 23 to set a sentencing date.