14 tonnes of marijuana found in major Central Queensland drug bust

A foreigner recruited to work for a mammoth Queensland drug operation that was busted growing more than 43,000 cannabis plants in 51 greenhouses now faces an uncertain future.

A Malaysian national recruited to work for a mammoth drug operation that was busted growing more than 43,000 cannabis plants in 51 greenhouses in Central Queensland now faces an uncertain future amid the High Court’s landmark immigration detention ruling.

Lee Tek Yee, 34, was one of 14 people arrested when police raided an Isis farm, near Bundaberg, in October last year which uncovered more than 14 tonnes of marijuana plant matter being produced in the sophisticated operation.

Yee had already served more than 440 days in custody when he appeared in the Brisbane District Court for sentencing on Friday, pleading guilty to a charge of unlawfully producing dangerous drugs.

One of the greenhouses found in the Isis drug bust.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren accepted submissions Yee had already served enough time, sentencing him to three years’ imprisonment, immediately suspended taking into account time served.

But the court heard Yee’s fate was still uncertain because he was now an illegal non-citizen, having moved to Australia on a student visa to study English before he was recruited to work on the drug farm.

Defence Barrister Chris Minnery said Yee, who supported his family in Malaysia, hoped to stay in Australia but his offending meant he would fail the character test and have his visa cancelled, requiring him to apply to have the cancellation revoked.

He said it was a “safe assumption” that Border Force would take his client into immigration detention following the sentencing.

Greenhouses filled with cannabis plants found in the Isis drug bust.

Judge Rosengren asked how the recent High Court decision - which ruled the indefinite detention of non-citizens who had served their sentences and had no realistic prospect of deportation or resettlement was unlawful - would impact Yee.

Mr Minnery said it was his understanding that if a time frame could be provided for determining the application to stay, people in circumstances such as Yee would be taken into immigration detention, but if the time period was unclear, authorities would then consider release into the community.

The Isis drug bust.

“However there is legislation being proposed in the federal parliament to deal with the decision of the High Court, whether that captures my client we don’t know yet, but probably he will be taken into immigration detention … until there is a decision,” he said.

The court heard Yee had worked on the drug farm with 13 others for about four months between June and October 2022 when police raided the property.

He was hired to build the “many, many greenhouses” for about $3000 a month, most of which he sent back to his family in Malaysia.

Originally published as 14 tonnes of marijuana found in major Central Queensland drug bust