Tan Chee Ming, 35, of Shepparton, pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamines, trafficking a drug of dependence, two counts of dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime, possessing GHB, possessing a schedule four poison and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Luke Lund told the court police found 14.43g of methamphetamines, $885 in cash and Ming’s passport in a satchel in the living room of a home in Longstaff St, Shepparton, when they searched it on October 25 last year.
Ming also had 2.72g of methamphetamines in his pocket.
Also found in the house were a set of scales and zip-lock bags on the coffee table in the living room, as well as a further 47.39g of methamphetamines in a Dominoes box in the living room, a desk draw in the living room and a handbag in the bedroom.
Of the total of 64.54g found in the house, Ming was “in possession of 17.15g”, Sen Constable Lund said.
In a separate matter on Christmas Day last year, police found $2510 in cash in a satchel Ming was carrying when the car he was a passenger in was stopped and searched in Brauman St, Shepparton.
The court was told analysis of Ming’s phone showed multiple messages that depicted Ming dealing drugs to multiple people.
Numerous messages in Mandarin also showed the accused was dealing drugs.
Police also found four zip-lock bags with a total of 11.33g of methamphetamines in them, a plastic bottle containing GHB and one tablet of Viagra under the passenger seat where Ming had been sitting.
Ming’s solicitor Anthony Coote told the court his client was a Malaysian man who came to Australia five years ago on a work visa, and was an “itinerant fruit picker” who had worked in lots of places in Victoria and NSW in that time.
Mr Coote said Ming had no prior convictions and had been in custody since his arrest — spending 156 days in pre-sentence detention.
He asked that the magistrate consider the six months he had already served in prison as enough of a jail sentence.
Magistrate David Faram, however, did not agree it was long enough, instead sentencing Ming to nine months in jail.
The 156 days spent in pre-sentence detention will count as time already served.
“I note you are a Malaysian national in Australia on an appropriate working visa,” Mr Faram said.
“You have completely ignored the obligations on you on the granting of that visa.”
Mr Faram said he considered the offending “significant and serious”.
“The offences you have admitted, and the drugs involved, are hugely dangerous and problematic in our community,” he said.
“It is grossly improper for any person to profit from the misery of others that is the result of trafficking in our community.”
Mr Faram said that upon Ming’s release from prison federal authorities might look at his visa and cancel it and deport him, but he noted that was not a decision for the court to make.
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