FIVE Vietnamese nationals, including two men who were in Australia illegally, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a sophisticated $2.8 million cannabis operation, during which hundreds of cannabis plants were being grown inside six suburban Maitland homes.
According to a report by SAM RIGNEY on The Herald, four members of the drug syndicate – Vuong Luu Quoc, Anh Quang Pham, Tuan Dac Trinh and Kim Phuong – appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio visual link from Sydney jails on Wednesday where they admitted to “crop sitting” hundreds of cannabis plants at homes in Tenambit, Heddon Greta and Morpeth in February this year.
A fifth syndicate member, 23-year-old Anh Thy Vu, who is the wife of Quoc, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to concealing a serious indictable offence after the DPP withdrew a charge of cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant.
Vu, who spent nine days in custody before she was granted bail, was living at one of the Tenambit drug houses with Quoc, but was not involved in cultivating the cannabis, according to an agreed statement of facts.
Magistrate Robert Stone placed her on a two-year community corrections order, the new equivalent to a good behaviour bond, and made an order that she not associate with Quoc, who is likely to be deported when he is ultimately eligible for parole, for 12 months.
Quoc pleaded guilty to two counts of cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant relating to 150 cannabis crops uncovered in a home in Crofton Avenue, Tenambit and another 174 plants found in a home at Jacob Place, Tenambit during six simultaneous raids on February 14.
Pham, who was found inside the Jacob Place home, pleaded guilty to cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant.
The four men will appear in Newcastle District Court next week to get sentence dates.
SOPHISTICATED: The houses had false walls and electrical, ventilation and watering systems installed.
It was a sophisticated and large-scale operation.
Almost every room in all six homes was full of cannabis plants, lamp shades, fans, powerboards and transformers. At least two houses had false walls and power had been bypassed before reaching the meter box. And police said there was a sophisticated electrical, ventilation and watering system installed in the premises, which included ducting, plumbing, irrigation pumps and charcoal filters in ceilings.