By Jane Lee, The Age
Three men from St Albans and one from Sunshine are among five men charged earlier this month with importing pseudoephedrine in washing powder boxes.
Australian Federal Police charged St Albans’ trio Van Ngoan Tran, Van Dau Tran and Quynh Ta, Sunshine’s Cong Cao Dau and New South Wales man Van Hau Ta with drug importation offences after finding about 300 kilograms of pseudoephedrine hidden in 900 boxes of washing powder at Port Melbourne.
Police believe about $200 million worth of pseudoephedrine – used in cold and flu medication and to make the drug ice – was moved from Vietnam to Australia.
Three of the men appeared via video link in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on January 13, and two appeared in person.
All four were charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of pseudoephedrine.
Vau Dau Tran, Van Ngoan Tran, Cong Cao Dau and Van Hau Ta were also charged with trafficking a drug of dependence.
Federal prosecutor Grant Schubert asked the court to allow the police to provide a brief of evidence within 12 weeks, double the ordinary six-week period.
Mr Schubert said the prosecution needed to translate and transcribe 13,000 phone calls and messages, some of which had already been identified as evidence in the case.
Magistrate Andrew McKenna granted the extension and ordered the brief to be provided by March 31.
None of the men applied for bail.
They were all remanded in custody and will next return to court on May 12.
