Man fronts court after 47 cannabis plants seized from Illawarra industrial unit
A man allegedly at the centre of a sophisticated hydroponic cannabis set up in Wollongong has been refused bail after police seized 47 plants following raids at a set of industrial units.
Illawarra Star
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A man allegedly at the centre of a sophisticated hydroponic cannabis set up has claimed the 47 plants seized by police were for his own personal use.
Police arrested and charged 42-year-old Tyson Profilio yesterday, after raiding a set of industrial units at Unanderra, uncovering $100,000 worth of cannabis and an imitation firearm.
Profilio was charged with cultivate prohibited plant, supply cannabis, two counts of possess prohibited drug and possess unauthorised pistol and appeared in Wollongong Local Court on Friday, where Magistrate Michael Stoddart refused his application for bail.
According to a set of police facts tendered to the court, Profilio had allegedly set up a hydro growing system inside a unit within a Waverly Drive industrial complex.
The industrial complex housed six units, which are owned by Profilio’s father. Two of the units were rented out for a vegetable processing business while the remaining four units were unoccupied, used as storage space by the Profilio family.
But, Profilio had started living in one of the units, where he was allegedly growing huge amounts of cannabis.
Officers investigating the supply of cannabis across the Illawarra executed a search warrant at the unit on Thursday morning, where police facts allege they located 47 cannabis plants, more than 5kg of loose cannabis leaf, 260g of cannabis seeds and hydroponic equipment.
Police facts allege Profilio told the officers that he was the sole person responsible for the cultivation of the cannabis and that he grew it for himself, occasionally giving some away to friends.
During the search, police also allegedly located a firearm, which Profilio said was a gel gun that he bought online, saying he was unaware that it was prohibited. After he was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station, police ran checks on Profilio, which allegedly revealed he did not hold a firearms license or permit.
As well at the gun, police allege they also found “a large number” of small resealable bags and an electronic scale.
During his appearance on Friday, the court heard Profilio had used cannabis to self medicate his ongoing depression and agoraphobia and had recently beat an addiction to heroin.
Despite Profilio saying the drugs were for “personal use” the prosecution argued that he may be part of an “organised criminal enterprise”.
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Magistrate Stoddart said while Profilio was cooperative with police during Thursday’s search and his family had agreed to post a $5000 surety, bail could not be granted due to the strength of the prosecution case.
He was refused bail and will return to court on October 22.