Toowoomba District Court told man was tricked into working for multimillion-dollar drug operation in Darling Downs town

A court has been told a man was hoodwinked into working at an illegal cannabis farm on the Darling Downs, after being promised a job at a ‘tomato and cucumber’ farm.

Three men have now been sentenced for their role in a multi-million dollar cannabis operation on the Darling Downs. Picture: Queensland Police

Three men arrested when Darling Downs police raided an illegal cannabis farm near Millmerran have been sentenced for their role in the multimillion-dollar drug operation.

The last of the Vietnamese citizens to be sentenced was Nam Van Nguyen.

The 42-year-old man, who spent 592 days on remand, pleaded guilty to two counts of producing a dangerous drug, exceeding 500g, before the Toowoomba District Court in June.

He also pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing items used to produce dangerous drugs, exceeding 500g.

In August, Van Ha, 43, and Duy The Do, 39, were each sentenced to a three-year jail term, suspended after spending 301 days in custody, after they pleaded guilty to the same offences.

Earlier, a court heard from Barristers Tristan Carlos, on behalf of Mr Do, and Nathan Edridge for Mr Ha who told the court their clients had experienced significant hardship since their arrest 301 days prior and were accepting of their wrong doing. Picture Queensland Police

Crown prosecutor Grace O’Donnell said police raided the rural Wattle Ridge property in October 2023, uncovering a $20m cannabis operation, which included 4049 plants weighing more than 340kg.

Ms O’Donnell said the offenders set up the commercial drug farm, harvested, and packaged the cannabis.

She said given Nguyen was in the country illegally, he was likely to be deported upon his release from prison – as was the case with Ha and Do.

Barrister Doug Wilson said Nguyen was working for a restaurant in Melbourne when he was hoodwinked into moving to regional Queensland to work on a tomato and cucumber farm in June 2023.

Judge Dennis Lynch KC said Nguyen’s role over the three month period was that of a worker and crop sitter.

“It seems you were deceived into going to the location… and you were effectively isolated and left there and dependent upon the real organiser to deliver food,” he said.

Mr Lynch sentenced Nguyen in line with his co-accused’s sentences, but took into account the extra time he spent in custody by reducing the head sentence.

Nguyen was sentenced to a two-year and six-month jail term, taking into account the 592 days he spent on remand.