Ngoc-Thuy Lai jailed after cannabis plants found inside Hawthorn East home
From the street, it looks like any other family home in Hawthorn East. But when police raided this quaint property, what they found was destined for a different type of street.
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A modest family home in a sleepy Hawthorn East street has been used as a cannabis crop house.
Ngoc-Thuy Lai, 33, was paid about $5000 a month to tend to marijuana plants in the Airedale Ave house — estimated to be worth up to $2.3 million — a court has heard.
A raid on the five-bedroom house on May 14 this year revealed a “well-established, sophisticated hydroponic” set up throughout six rooms of the house.
More than 230 plants at various stages of maturity were found, as well as nearly 10kg of dried cannabis.
Lai happened to arrive at the property while the raid was in process and quickly told police she was there to visit a friend at a neighbouring property.
When the occupant denied knowing Lai, she tried to run but police tackled her to the ground and arrested her.
During her interview, Lai admitted she had been tending to the crop for about three months and had gone there that day to “cut a room” that was ready for harvesting.
Police then searched Lai’s home and found a locked room containing drying racks, fans and a carbon filter, as well as about 420g of dried cannabis.
Calendars and notebooks found in the home held details of the cultivation scheme.
Liquid fertiliser, potting mix, gardening gloves and garbage bags were found on the back seat of Lai’s car.
Lai admitted to feeding, cutting and drying the cannabis crops but denied planting them or setting up the grow house.
She told police a man she had met at a party had offered her $5000 cash a month, as well as the car, to take part in the scheme.
County Court Judge Felicity Hampel said Lai had played “a vital role” in the sophisticated enterprise and she had seen it as a chance to make some “easy money”.
“This was no amateur enterprise … you knew from the start what you were doing and that it was wrong,” she said.
Judge Hampel said there was no evidence Lai had been coerced or blackmailed into taking part and that she had been “a willing participant”.
Taking into account her lack of prior criminal history and early guilty plea, Judge Hampel sentenced Lai to two years and three months in jail.
“Your shame, embarrassment and remorse is evidenced by your admissions and your early plea of guilty,” she said.
She must serve 12 months before she will be eligible for parole.
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