A veteran St Albans real estate director has been refused bail after being charged over his alleged role in a drug ring, which used 46 rental properties to grow more than 300 kilograms of cannabis.
The Supreme Court heard last month Chi Thanh Chung, a licensed real estate agent and former director of LJ Hooker for more than 10 years, was hired by a drug syndicate to assess the suitability of commercial and residential properties, including one in Kings Park, to cultivate cannabis.
Chung faces 11 charges to do with the cultivation and trafficking of cannabis in commercial quantities, between November 28, 2013, and January 8 this year.
The court heard the syndicate used 46 properties to produce 927 plants, producing more than 300 kilograms of the drug.
Chung was arrested and charged on February 2 this year, and has been in custody since.
The court heard Chung was found to have three mobile phones, two of which were in a false name.
Telephone intercepts revealed Chung’s role in assessing commercial and residential properties for their suitability to grow cannabis. The prosecution argued Chung was capable of fleeing to other parts of Australia or overseas.
Judge Lex Lasry dismissed Chung’s application for bail.
“I have concluded that this appears to be quite a strong case,” he said.
“The evidence against the applicant appears significant.”
Chung will face Melbourne Magistrates Court for a committal mention on October 6.
