Ramzi Khoder: Macorna student grows $2 million of tobacco
An aspiring doctor was caught illegally growing almost $2 million of tobacco on his Macorna farm. He was ordered to destroy it but found it too hard to quit his habit.
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An aspiring doctor has avoided jail after he was caught illegally growing almost $2 million worth of tobacco.
Ramzi Khoder, 29, was handed an eight-month suspended sentence at the County Court on Wednesday, September 23, having pleaded guilty to producing a tobacco seed, plant or leaf, not being the holder of a producer licence.
Khoder was found to have morw than 2ha of tobacco growing at his Hayden Lane, Macorna property when Australian Taxation Office investigators and police raided it in March 2017.
The court heard he was then effectively caught cultivating the crop again when police returned weeks later, after Khoder had been directed to destroy the crop.
Police found a number of people gathering leaves from the crop, with Khoder saying they were simply stopping the leaves blowing into neighbours’ properties.
There were also newly installed watering lines throughout the crop.
At the time the tobacco excise rate was $771.60 per kilogram, meaning the potential value of the crop was $1,929,000.
Khoder, who was born in Lebanon, moved to Australia in 2009 and engaged in various studies and careers, including work in the security industry.
The court heard he had worked to better himself since being arrested, and had begun studying Biomedical Science at Victoria University in hope of becoming a doctor.
Judge Trevor Wraight said Khoder had committed a serious example of the commonwealth charge.
But he noted Khoder had strong rehabilitative prospects and was otherwise of good character.
He sentenced him to eight months’ jail but released him forthwith, with the conditions of $3000 reconnaissance, and two years of good behaviour.
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