Simon Pham: Casula man convicted of Bondi drug deal

A magistrate has issued a warning to out-of-area dealers travelling to the eastern suburbs to sell drugs. It comes as a tradie’s coke deal was uncovered.

A magistrate has slammed a young tradie for turning to selling cocaine in Sydney’s eastern suburbs – warning dealers “police are catching people all the time”.

Simon Ahn Pham, 24, from Casula, represented himself at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday and was sentenced for supply prohibited drug (cocaine) and deal with proceeds of crime, which he previously pleaded guilty to.

Pham, who works in water proofing, was spotted by police driving a Honda Accord with his P-plates on near Hotel Ravesis at Bondi Beach late on Friday, January 15.

The agreed facts stated police saw him stop in the middle of Jacques Ave and put on his hazard lights.

Simon Pham leaving court.

“Police observed a female run over to the vehicle and enter the front passenger door. The vehicle drove approximately five metres before pulling into a driveway,” the agreed facts stated

The female got back out of the car about 30 seconds later and walked off.

Police became suspicious and stopped her and found two bags of cocaine weighing 1.3g. She admitted to buying the drugs from Pham.

Pham was quickly stopped by police in his car and a search of the vehicle uncovered another nine bags of coke weighing 6g. Police also found $1270 in cash in his wallet.

He was sentenced at Waverley Court.

The agreed facts stated messages on his phone were “strongly insinuating” that he was involved in drug supply.

The court heard on Wednesday he previously had a drug habit and had undergone a drug treatment program since his arrest and was now clean.

Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman convicted him on both charges and sentenced him to a community correction order with supervision for 12 months and ordered he complete his drug treatment program.

She warned Pham if he was to face the court again on another drug charge he would be facing jail time.

Magistrate Huntsman said cocaine had become a prevalent drug in the eastern suburbs, often supplied by people driving to the area to sell the illegal substance.

“It has to stop,” she said. “Police are catching people all the time by watching passengers which is what happened to you.”