Blackburn Illegal foreign worker Jia Ma railroaded into tobacco import scheme due to money woes
A Chinese tourist with mounting gambling debts was made an offer he couldn’t refuse by a casino contact, but the decision to make a quick buck landed him in hot water.
East
Don't miss out on the headlines from East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Money troubles brought on by gambling debts forced an illegal Chinese immigrant to help smuggle millions of dollars worth of tobacco into Australia, a court has heard.
Jia Ma, 43, pleaded guilty at the County Court on May 5 to a single charge of possession of tobacco products being reckless as to defrauding revenue contrary to the Customs Act, following the attempted import in April last year.
Ma, who arrived in Australia on a tourist visa in 2008, was living in Blackburn and working illegally as a casual labourer when he hit financial troubles, the court heard.
A casino contact recruited Ma to help import 2800kg of loose-leaf tobacco from China to Melbourne in exchange for $2000, Judge Michael Cahill told the court, but Ma was busted after Australian Border Force officials tracked the delivery to Ma’s rented Burwood warehouse.
Judge Cahill told the court the contraband cargo defrauded the Federal Government out of more than $3.3 million worth of tax dollars.
And while he said Ma’s role in the scheme was limited, having been engaged just to receive the cargo and oversee its handover to another man, Judge Cahill said Ma’s offending was serious.
“Your offending was serious, the amount of revenue defrauded was substantial,” Judge Cahill said.
“You fell into gambling, your labouring work was irregular … in the context of money problems you accepted the offer of illegal work.
“You said although you did now know what the goods were, you knew or suspected they were illegal.”
MORE NEWS
NINE SIMPLE STEPS TO KEEP BURGLARS OUT
DRUG-DRIVER’S NEAR MISSES DURING WILD CHASE
HOW TO SAVE HUNDREDS ON YOUR POWER BILL
Judge Cahill sentenced Ma to two years’ and three months’ jail, but directed he be released after 13 months.
He told the court Ma would be deported following his release from custody and declared 392 days’ presentence detention time served.