Melton boozehound Tyrone Russell jailed for cultivating commercial quantity of cannabis
A Melton dole bludger who slammed down 30 beers a day has admitted operating a sophisticated cannabis growing racket.
Wyndham Leader
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A dole-bludger bonghead who sunk 30 beers a day has been jailed for running a sophisticated cannabis growing racket.
Tyrone Russell, 28, was sentenced in the County Court last week to a minimum 16 months’ jail after pleading guilty to cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis.
Police raided Russell’s Melton unit and seized 138kg of cannabis on July 7 last year.
Investigators discovered hydroponic cannabis plants growing in several rooms at the Barries Rd unit.
Russell’s sophisticated set included a heating and watering system partly powered by an electrical bypass.
“I got plants back there,” Russell said when police entered the home with a search warrant.
Police also seized various electrical parts, transformers, heat lamp globes and watering system parts.
Russell also had a “makeshift tent area” in the dining room which contained 27 cannabis plant seedlings.
Police also seized almost 600gm of harvested ready to consume cannabis bud including some on a bench next to a bong and scissors.
Russell also had two CCTV cameras at the front of his unit which live-streamed to a monitor on his fridge.
Russell was arrested and taken to Melton police station where he was interviewed on July 13.
The cannabis racketeer admitted to living at the unit for “a bit”.
Russell also confirmed he told police there “could be” a bypass at the house because he “didn’t want to be responsible for anyone getting hurt”.
Police quizzed Russell, who was unemployed and on Centrelink at the time, on what made him start growing cannabis.
“Well, no … no work, and I smoke a lot,” Russell said.
”(I smoke weed) all day every day.”
The court heard Russell was on a community correction order and sinking 30 beers a day at the time of his offending.
Russell averaged 30 standard alcoholic drinks a day since he was 18 and his booze consumption has continued “unabated”, the court was told.
The court heard Russell had previously binged a 4 litre cask of wine everyday which was described as being “blackout drinking”.
The defence submitted Russell’s time in custody has been the longest he has abstained from alcohol and cannabis since he was 18.
“He’s got a drinking problem your honour,” defence barrister James Mortley said.
Judge Greg Lyon jailed Russell for a maximum 25 months.
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