Farmer worker Benjamin Powell fronts Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court for cultivating cannabis

A Gippsland farmer was busted with a stash of drugs including 10 cannabis plants, “large” amounts of methamphetamine and ecstasy pills in his home.

Benjamin Powell, 45, pleaded guilty at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to cultivating cannabis.

A farmer has been busted with a stash of drugs — including 10 cannabis plants — after police raided his home.

Benjamin Powell, 45, pleaded guilty at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to cultivating cannabis, possessing ecstasy and possessing methamphetamine, while other charges were struck out.

On June 13 this year, police seized six small cannabis plants, four medium cannabis plants, two bags of dried cannabis, large amounts of methamphetamine and four ecstasy pills from Powell’s home, the court heard.

In a police interview, Powell told officers he was growing the cannabis plants for “personal use”.

Powell’s defence lawyer Ashleigh Fitzgerald told the court her client had limited priors and had “very limited” interactions with the courts.

“On the day the search warrant was executed at his property, he was compliant with police, he showed them around, he was very cooperative in the interview and made full admissions to all of the offending,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

In her submissions she said Powell was holding onto the methamphetamine for a friend who had a “serious addiction” to the drug.

Police seized a total of 10 cannabis plants from Powell’s home on June 13 this year. Picture: Supplied

“Mr Powell has been consistent in his instructions that the methamphetamine was not for his personal use,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

She told the court no methamphetamine was detected in Powell’s recent urine tests.

Ms Fitzgerald added Powell was a hard worker and had been working at a family farm since he was 19.

She said since the raid at his home, he had stopped using cannabis and while he hadn’t engaged in drug counselling, he was open to the idea.

Magistrate Natalie Heynes said there was a lot of methamphetamine seized.

“It’s fairly poor judgement to agree to hold onto such a large amount — when I say large amount I don’t mean the legal definition, I just mean generically,” Ms Heynes told Powell.

“Sounds as though cannabis has been an issue for you historically.”

Ms Heynes encouraged Powell to find alternative ways to manage his stress and mental health.

“At the end of the day, it (cannabis) is illegal,” she said.

“If you continue to grow it and use it — those things are offences — and you’ll find yourself back before the courts and the penalties will only increase.

“So it’s in your interest to work on that and do something about it.”

Powell was convicted and fined $1500.