R v Chun Keat Chong [2019] NSWDC 36

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Chun Keat Chong [2019] NSWDC 36 Hearing dates: 23 November 2018 Decision date: 01 March 2019 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Mahony SC DCJ Decision: For orders see [51] Catchwords: Supply prohibited drug greater than large commercial quantity; knowingly direct activities of a criminal group Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Drug Misuse & Trafficking Act 1985 Cases Cited: Le v R [2017] NSWCCA 26 Lowe v R (1984) 154 CLR 606 Category: Sentence Parties: Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown) Chun Keat Chong (Offender) Representation: Counsel: Ms C Young (Crown) Mr A Webb (Offender)

Solicitors: File Number(s): 15/253943 Publication restriction: Nil

REMARKS ON SENTENCE 1. The offender pleaded guilty to the following two charges: 1. Sequence 3 – supply prohibited drug greater than large commercial quantity. The offence is pursuant to s 25(2) of the Drug Misuse & Trafficking Act 1985 ("DMTA") and has a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a fine of 5,000 penalty units, together with a Standard Non-Parole Period of 15 years imprisonment. 2. Sequence 2 – knowingly direct activities of criminal group pursuant to s 93T(4A) of the Crimes Act 1900. The maximum penalty for that offence is 15 years imprisonment. 1. In addition, there is a related offence on a Certificate pursuant to s 166 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 of possession of a prohibited drug, namely, methylamphetamine (0.63 grams). 2. The offences occurred in October 2015. The offender was one of a number of Malaysian citizens involved in a drug trafficking operation in Australia. Three co-offenders have already been sentenced, and the offender is to be sentenced along with two further co-offenders, Chee Hui Tiew and Bunny Bannister.