Twist After Fire Exposed Alleged Drug Plot in Victoria
A bushfire in Victoria led to the arrest of two men linked to a cannabis operation, raising questions about a larger drug plot.
Moyston, Victoria, Cannabis, Drug Plot, Bushfire, Australia
Moyston: So, there was this crazy situation where a Vietnamese guy named Tien Tran got caught trying to escape a bushfire with trucks loaded with cannabis. Apparently, he’s been on the run in South Australia since 2021 after a massive crop bust.
On Christmas Eve, he and another guy, Anh Mai, were nabbed in a rental truck. Police found two more trucks nearby, all filled with 203 mature cannabis plants. Can you believe that?
In court, Tran was asking for bail to stay with a friend in Melbourne while he fights the charges of growing a commercial amount of weed. A cop testified that they got called to Moyston because someone saw multiple trucks leaving a property.
With the bushfire causing evacuations, folks were worried about looting, and it turns out the cannabis was being moved from some growhouses. The police think Tran was driving a truck loaded with soil, and he had a key to the property where the plants were found.
All three trucks were rented in Melbourne on the same day, which is pretty suspicious. On Christmas Day, the police raided the place and found a fancy hydroponic setup with over 200 more cannabis plants weighing more than 250 kilograms!
Tran claims he had no idea about the cannabis and was just helping a friend by driving a truck. But he’s got a history of drug-related charges in Queensland and is wanted in South Australia for a previous cannabis operation.
His lawyer argued that Tran was just a low-level worker, not the mastermind behind the operation. A friend even offered a $10,000 surety for his bail, saying he’s a nice guy who helps her with gardening.
But the prosecutors were having none of it, saying he might run away if released. The magistrate agreed, stating the charges were too serious for bail, so Tran will stay in custody until their next court date in April.
Oh, and by the way, the bushfire in the Grampians National Park has been a real disaster, burning through 76,000 hectares and destroying homes. It all started from a lightning strike on December 16.