Jai-Bao ‘Rex’ Chen, husband of Sydney airport plastic wrap victim Zhoujun ‘Sally’ Li, charged with string of drug related offences

Zhoujun ‘Sally’ Li’s missing husband Jai-Bao ‘Rex’ Che has faced multiple charges in relation to possession and supply of prohibited drugs.

Zhuojan 'Sally' Li (left) has been identified as the body found in Botany last week as police appeal for information to locate her husband, Jai-Bao 'Rex' Chen (pictured right). Picture: NSW Police Force

The husband of the woman found dumped and wrapped in plastic near Sydney Airport earlier this week had multiple convictions for drug dealing offences and was ordered by a magistrate to be treated for “alcohol and drugs issues”.

It comes as police revealed on Saturday they were appealing for information to locate Jai-Bao ‘Rex’ Chen, 33, the husband of Zhuojun ‘Sally’ Li, whose body was found by an early-morning jogger in the park on Monday morning.

Police say they have a “strong investigative theory” that there is a “third party” involved in Mr Chen’s disappearance, saying they hold “grave concerns” for his welfare, as it can be revealed he has a string of drug related convictions, including multiple counts of supplying a prohibited drug.

Emergency services were called to the bushland in Sir Joseph Banks Park in Botany at about 7am on Monday after an early-morning jogger in the park was distracted by an odd smell and stumbled upon Ms Li’s body.

A major police investigation is underway after a body was found dumped and wrapped in plastic in bushland near Sydney Airport. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

Upon arrival officers found the body of a woman heavily decomposed and wrapped in plastic, making it difficult for police to identify the body or establish a timeline, Superintendent Danny Doherty said.

Police are seeking information about a silver Toyota Avensis - which police have since seized as part of their investigation - that stopped on the northern side of Foreshore Rd in Botany during the early hours of Saturday, November 30. Police say the vehicle is not owned by the couple and are appealing for anyone with information about the car or the driver to come forward.

Zhuojun ‘Sally’ Li was reported missing to Parramatta Police Area Command earlier this month after her mother was unable to reach her.

As investigations continue, police are appealing for information to locate Ms Zhuojun’s husband, Jai-Bao ‘Rex’ Chen.

“It’s a question mark on whether he’s a person of interest or a victim, we still don’t know,” Superintendent Doherty said in his address to the media on Saturday morning.

“There’s no confirmation that he’s alive … or that he’s been seen alive since late November.”

Mr Doherty confirmed that the post-mortem examination identified her death as suspicious and police are now seeking to investigate if a third party was involved.

“We have to keep an open mind and when we do that we look at the possibility of a third party.”

Zhuojun ‘Sally’ Li, aged 33, was reported missing to Parramatta Police Area Command earlier this month. Picture: NSW Police

Zhuojun ‘Sally’ Li's husband Jai-Bao ‘Rex’ Chen, aged 33, who police are trying to locate. Picture: NSW Police

“Not only in the suspected murder of Sally, but we also have to look at a third party being involved in the disappearance of Rex as well,” Mr Doherty said.

Court records obtained by The Australian reveal that in 2022 Mr Chen was convicted and sentenced to an 18 month Community Corrections Order, which expired in January this year, for supplying a prohibited drug.

He also had additional conditions that he be subject to supervision by a Community Corrections officer and continue treatment in relation to “alcohol and drugs issues”.

He was also convicted of possessing stolen goods, but no further penalty was imposed.

In August 2020, Mr Chen was found guilty of possessing a prohibited drug but entered into a Conditional Release Order without proceeding to conviction.

However the Court revoked the Conditional Release Order in November 2020 as he broke conditions by committing further offences during the duration of the order.

Mr Chen was convicted of four charges of supplying a “small quantity” of prohibited drugs and was sentenced to a 12 month Community Corrections Order.

He was also convicted of two charges of possessing a prohibited drug and given a further six month Community Corrections Order.

Mr Doherty said there were no links to organised crime and described them as a “normal couple” and said the motive behind her murder was a “mystery” as there were no reports of domestic violence.