Qi Chen: Accounting firm director charged with serious drug supply

A Sydney man has been charged with serious drug offences after a police investigation uncovered his alleged involvement supplying meth and cocaine in commercial quantities.

A Sydney accounting firm director has been denied bail after police charged him with supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs.

Qi Chen, 45, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday where he applied to be released on bail after being charged with seven serious drug offences.

The alleged offences include large commercial supply, knowingly taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs and supplying prohibited drugs.

The Belfield man is listed as director Albert Qi Chen of Chen Co Pty Ltd and has other active business and trading names — Chenco Solutions, Chenco Accounting and Tax Solutions and David Li and Co.

The accounting firm has a business address listed at 233 Castlereagh St, Sydney but none of the business names have websites nor social media presence.

An ASIC search revealed Chenco Pty Ltd is now under the control of an external administrator.

Documents tendered to court said Chen was allegedly working with co-accused Siang Hoe Lim to supply drugs.

Police alleged Chen knowingly took part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of drug, mainly 694g between August 22 and September 27 at Wolli Creek.

A Sydney accounting firm director is facing life in jail for allegedly supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs.

It is further alleged about 9.45am he supplied 136g of meth on September 25, another 139 grams on September 9 and 278g on September 13.

Chen also allegedly supplied 139g of meth on September 27 and 590g of cocaine and 29g of meth on October 19, before he was arrested about 10.30am

Chen was charged with knowingly taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs and supplying prohibited drugs.

In court on Thursday, Chen’s lawyer said his client needed to be released on bail so he could operate his business and meet his financial obligations.

He noted there would likely be a delay in the case being finalised due to the serious nature of the charges.

The lawyer conceded there appeared to be a strong case against Chen based on the police statement of facts.

He submitted there was some ambiguity as to Chen’s alleged role within the drug network and therefore it was not inevitable he would receive a full-time custodial sentence if convicted.

The lawyer said Chen’s “subjective background” allegedly made him more likely to be used in the drug trade but did not elaborate further.

Magistrate Phillip Stewart said Chen was facing a sentence of life imprisonment for the charges of large commercial drug supply if convicted.

He noted the lawyer’s submission that Chen’s role was “not clear” did not ring true because the police statement of facts said his DNA was allegedly found on a large commercial quantity of drugs.

Mr Stewart said Chen and Lim were allegedly observed in a car counting $320,000 that had been handed to them, with 590g of drugs found, before they were immediately arrested.

He said Chen had a limited record and noted he was willing to abide bail conditions including reporting, living at his Belfield home, surrendering his passport and not take illegal drugs.

Chen’s wife, who was in court, also offered $20,000 surety to ensure his attendance at court.

However Mr Stewart said the proposed bail conditions did not ameliorate the concerns given the alleged amount of drugs and cash linked to Chen and refused to grant him release.

The case was adjourned to December 19.

Lim is expected to make a release application on November 3 after he did not apply for bail on Thursday.