A Braybrook man has been sentenced to 23 months in jail after being caught with almost 80 kilograms of cannabis.
Appearing in the County Court last month, Van Vuong Phan, 27, entered a guilty plea to trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis and possessing a prohibited weapon. The court heard police executing a warrant at Phan’s Braybrook home on March 3 detected a strong cannabis smell.
Police seized seven large plastic bags containing small vacuum-sealed bags of cannabis, four vacuum-seal machines, five mobile phones, a prohibited knife and a Commodore car.
Phan, a Vietnamese national, arrived in Australia on an education visa in 2013. The visa was cancelled a few months later and he remained in Australia unlawfully.
The court heard Phan had experienced a dysfunctional upbringing, with limited education and issues with substance abuse from a very young age.
Judge Claire Quin said a gambling problem had led him to amass a $200,000 debt.
“Though gambling is not a matter in mitigation, it does provide background or explanation for you becoming involved in this criminal behaviour,” she said.
“Your role was that the cannabis would be delivered to you and you would then forward it to someone else. There was no evidence that you had actually engaged in selling the drug and you were characterised as mid-tier.”
Judge Quin said although Phan had expressed remorse and had a strong chance of rehabilitation, trafficking of drugs in a commercial quantity is a very serious offence.
“General deterrence has an important role to play to discourage others, who like you, find themselves in financial strife and are tempted to become involved in this criminal activity on this scale. Whatever role is to be played they need to understand they will be punished.”
Phan was sentenced to 23 months’ jail, minus 253 days already served.
