Thang Quoc Bui, 49, a Vietnamese citizen, was sentenced in Melbourne County Court on 11 September 2026 to 22 months in prison after pleading guilty to cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis.[1][2]
Victoria Police had found 269 cannabis plants weighing 189.38 kg in six rooms and the garage of a Marungi St house in central Shepparton on 26 November 2025, in a setup the judge called sophisticated, with lighting, irrigation, vents and a power bypass.[1] Officers found Bui in a car in the driveway with a key to the house and live CCTV alerts on his phone; the defence said he was a paid “crop sitter” watering plants he did not own.[1]
Judge Peter Rozen said Bui’s role appeared relatively minor but general deterrence required imprisonment; Bui must serve 12 months before parole, with 241 days of pre-sentence detention credited.[1] The court heard he would be deported to Vietnam after any term served.[1] Police later alleged he and his wife were stopped at an airport on 5 February 2026 trying to leave Australia in breach of bail.[2]