Drug syndicate busted: Cannabis, $3m cash seized from hydro houses
Eleven people are accused of being part of an organised crime syndicate peddling millions in cannabis across state lines.
The Express
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An alleged organised criminal syndicate operating in hydroponic cannabis houses along Australia’s east coast has been disbanded following an interstate police operation, leading to 11 arrests and more than $3 million in drugs being taken off the streets.
The arrests follow a nine month investigation by NSW Police’s Strike Force Riche into a criminal syndicate believed to be cultivating cannabis and laundering money.
Their investigation led to eleven southwest Sydney properties in Liverpool, Bankstown, Lansvale, Revesby, Punchbowl and Yagoona being searched at 7am on Wednesday, where 456 cannabis plants and 22kg of cannabis head were seized – estimated to be worth more than $3 million.
Police also seized $330,000 in cash from the premises.
Eight people – six men and two women, all Vietnamese Nationals – were arrested and charged as part of the operation.
They presented to Liverpool Local Court on Thursday before Magistrate Imad Abdul-Karam.
Police will allege Van Nam Bui, a 52-year-old man from Canley Heights, directed the syndicate and co-ordinated the supply of 587kg of cannabis in the five months leading to March 2020.
He was charged with six commercial drug offences and will have his release application heard on March 30 at Liverpool Local Court.
Police will allege Thang Minh Hoang, a 40-year-old man from Rockdale, and Thi Ly Nguyen, a 38-year-old woman from Liverpool, were senior members in the criminal syndicate.
Hoang allegedly ran the operations of the hydroponic cannabis houses and was charged with eleven offences. His application for bail was refused.
Nguyen, who is accused of harvesting and packing the crops for supply, was charged with seven offences. She is expected to apply for bail on April 1.
Police allege Minh Nhat Phan, a 24-year-old man from Liverpool, was involved in transporting the equipment used to manage the hydroponic houses, and helped supply commercial quantities of cannabis.
He was charged with four offences, and is expected to file for bail on March 30.
Thi Phoung Anh Tran, a 21-year-old woman from Liverpool, was granted conditional bail and ordered not to contact any of her co-accused.
She has been charged with supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity), and participate criminal group. Her matter was adjourned to May 25.
Anh Vu Hoang, a 37-year old from Bankstown who police allege was a “crop sitter”, had an application for bail refused.
Trong Dung Bui, a 20-year-old from Bankstown, did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. He is charged with participate criminal group, take part cultivate cannabis and use/consume/waste electricity without authority.
His matter will return to court on May 25.
Xuan Le, a 20-year-old man from Liverpool, will have his release application heard on March 30. He is charged with supply prohibited drug and participate criminal group.
The arrests followed big breaks in Strike Force Riche’s investigation reaching back to last year.
A mini-van carrying six people – including two children – was allegedly found with $716,000 of drugs stuffed in bags during a vehicle stop on the Pacific Highway, Heatherbraw on December 20. The Kia Carnival allegedly carried 71kg of cannabis and 1kg of methamphetamine.
Police charged a 42-year-old Queensland man with two offences and he remains before the courts.
Then on February 5, police seized 152 cannabis plants from a house in Blacktown. A 24-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested by Queensland Police at Brisbane Domestic Airport on February 19, who police allege had $175,000 in his possession at the time.
Later that day, police searched a home in Queensland and allegedly seized 45kg of cannabis, methylamphetamine and more than $114,000 in cash. A 50-year-old man at the Chuwar home was arrested.
The 24-year-old Liverpool man and the 50-year-old Chuwar man both remain before courts in Queensland.
NSW Organised Crime Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Martin Fileman said police would continue to come down hard on criminals “despite” the COVID-19 pandemic
“We are in an ever changing and vulnerable environment at the moment, but these organised crime syndicates continue to operate unchanged,” Det Supt Fileman said.
“The NSW Police in partnership with our federal agencies and other state jurisdictions will work together to target these criminal enterprises and attempt to rid these drugs from our community.”