Woman faces court over drug crop bust
A VIETNAMESE woman, 23, charged with cannabisrelated offences has been denied bail and remanded until a June committal mention.
Detective Sergeant Chris Potter told Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday Mai Thi Luong, of St Albans, and a co-accused were arrested at a property north of Colac after a covert drug cultivation investigation.
The court heard Ms Luong, who made a self- represented bail application, has lived in Australia for five years and is on a bridging visa while an application for citizenship is being processed.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Kylie Jane said Ms Luong was one of two Vietnamese nationals arrested in a raid at a Farrells Rd property at Warrion on Tuesday.
Police allege they had been observing the property, bought by a Vietnamese national in 2016, for some time when a silver VW sedan and a red 4WD were seen in the driveway of the usually vacant property at 2.40pm on March 13.
Giving evidence under oath, Sgt Potter said he returned to the scene with other police members about 4pm to find the red vehicle gone, but a silver VW still in the driveway.
While Ms Luong’s coaccused allegedly ran from the car, police say the accused moved to the driver’s seat before uniformed police jumped in front of the car, causing her to stop.
Police, who had a warrant, allegedly found keys in the sedan’s glove box that opened the property’s front gate and shed.
An estimated 250 cannabis plants of varying levels of maturity were allegedly found inside the shed.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said Ms Luong was a significant flight risk and remanded her to remain in custody until June 7.