Phithaksery Phaboriboun charged in Australia over drug precursors

A Canadian tourist allegedly kept a stash of precursor chemicals at a rural western Sydney property which could have produced 140kg of methamphetamine, a court has heard.

A Canadian tourist has been charged with possessing precursor chemicals to manufacture methamphetamine.

A Canadian tourist allegedly had enough precursor chemicals to manufacture 140kg of ice before police apprehended him at Sydney Airport with a ticket to Los Angeles, a court has heard.

Phithaksery Phaboriboun, 37, has been charged with two counts of possessing precursors and intending to use them for manufacturing or production after police raided a property in the rural western Sydney suburb of Mount Vernon on August 27 last year.

In documents tendered to Penrith Local Court, police allege Phaboriboun was in possession of hypophosphorous acid and iodine and had intended to use them to manufacture or produce methamphetamine.

Phaboriboun has been in custody on remand ever since the items were allegedly uncovered in the Mount Vernon property’s garage.

In a bail application at Penrith Local Court on April 28, crown prosecutor Ms Brown told the court Phaboriboun’s alleged offending was “large scale”.

“It’s serious, the precursors that were found would have enabled the production of 140kg of methamphetamine,” Ms Brown said.

“The crown case is strong – his DNA is found everywhere inside the premises, and on many of the different item he was using to create the methamphetamine.”

Penrith Courthouse.

Barrister Daniel Pace proposed to the court Phaboriboun – whose visa has now been cancelled – could be released from prison to Department of Immigration officers who could escort him to a detention centre to assuage any concerns about further offending.

Mr Pace also told the court there was also no forensic evidence suggesting Phaboriboun actually manufactured drugs, began the process, or even possessed the chemicals to the exclusion of all other people.

“He appears to be a person of prior good character, the Canadian record is only a traffic record,” Mr Pace said.

“He has available to him support in Canada and he has remained in custody for the last nine months, which serves to enliven the consequences of not complying with bail conditions.”

Mr Pace also tendered a series of text messages which he said supported Phaboriboun’s claim he had entered Australia as a genuine tourist.

Magistrate Stephen Corry said he thought it was likely Phaboriboun would receive a custodial sentence if he was convicted of the offences.

“He obtained an additional passport and was attempting to leave the country at the time he was apprehended,” Mr Corry said on the potential risk of flight.

Mr Corry refused Phaboriboun’s bail and the case will return to Penrith Local Court on May 26.