Miranda Cignall owner sentenced over weapons, drugs offences
A shopkeeper who had an Aladdin’s Cave of weapons and drugs in his Westfield store has appeared in court to learn his fate.
St George Shire Standard
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A rogue tobacconist has conceded he “should have checked” the laws before stocking flick knives, ice pipes, bongs and slingshots in his shop at a Westfield shopping centre.
Jin Long Wang has been ordered to pay $5000 in fines and serve a two year community corrections order after wantonly selling weapons and drug merchandise at his Miranda Cignall store this year.
Wang was arrested at his business at Westfield Miranda in a surprise afternoon raid on July 31, carried out in front of stunned shoppers over three hours.
Officers found two brass slingshots stored in a draw under the counter, 20 blister packets of testosterone, eight flick knives with 3cm blades, 18 glass ice pipes, 43 waterpipes – known colloquially as a “party bong” – 20 grams of ‘Dreamweaver’ herbal blend, 70 Tadalafil tablets and 80 Viagra tablets, according to court documents.
On Thursday the court heard the 58-year-old had found himself in a dire financial situation since his arrest and that he now “understood the seriousness” of his conduct.
The Cabramatta man would be “more careful in the future” and intended to transfer ownership of the store he has run since 2004 to a new owner, the court heard.
Magistrate Erin Kennedy brushed off claims the Viagra was obtained to treat Wang’s own “erectile” problems, pointing out that the pills were stashed in his shop.
Contrary to his claims of ignorance, the court heard Wang had twice been handed Section 10 good behaviour bonds for “similar offences” in the past but had not learned his lesson.
“You don’t seem to have changed your ways at all,” Magistrate Kennedy said.
“You’re making the purchase of these items … seem legitimate.”
She issued respective $1000 fines for five charges including two counts of possess, sell or use prohibited weapons, two of possessing a restricted substance and one count of displaying a water pipe.
Two year supervised community corrections orders were imposed for each charge of possessing a prohibited drug, selling an ice pipe and selling a waterpipe.
Wang had pleaded guilty to all eight charges.
Last month he was convicted and fined $1000 after admitting to three counts of selling e-cigarettes to children under 18s, after being caught in a sting by South East Sydney Public Health Unit officers.
They had been tipped off after a 14-year-old boy bought an e-cigarette and flavoured liquids from Wang’s store on March 30.