Man on drug charges
A HONG Kong national living in the Far North has been ordered to surrender his passport after being accused of running a large scale onestop drug shop from his bedroom in a Tully sharehouse.
Yiu Suen, 30, appeared in the Innisfail Magistrates Court on Saturday facing a total of 13 drug-related charges, including trafficking.
It is alleged Mr Suen, who has been in Australia on a work visa since 2018, had been running the drug business for more than two months until he was taken into custody on Friday.
Police seized a cocktail of substances when they raided the Black St residence, including quantities of MDMA, LSD and cannabis along with about $17,000 cash.
Police have alleged he had a small hydroponic set up containing three plants in a tent in his bedroom of the sharehouse.
A police investigation, codenamed Operation Pickett, was launched in early March after a public tip-off.
Police have alleged Mr Suen was the major supplier of dangerous drugs into the small township – population 2390 – while their investigation was under way.
“The closure of the operation has caused significant disruption to the supply of dangerous drugs into the Cassowary Coast community,” Tully police Det Sgt Steve Watts said.
“These types of illicit substances have a profoundly devastating effect on all communities, but particularly in small, regional towns such as Tully where the effect is more marked.”
Police allege Mr Suen operated the business from the sharehouse, sometimes even making sales at his front gate.
Included in the seized drugs were allegedly cookies and chocolates laced with cannabis which were also for sale.
He was granted bail after appearing in court on Saturday with several conditions including the passport surrender, not going within 100m of international departure points and reporting to police.
His case was adjourned until July 16.
Two other people were also charged with drug possession in relation to the operation.
Det Sgt Watts said an anonymous Crime Stoppers report was crucial to launching the investigation.