A magistrate has wished an accused drug dealer luck in contesting charges he was selling cannabis grown in a sophisticated hydroponic set-up near Portland.
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Borce Iliesvki, of Allestree, appeared in Portland Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with trafficking cannabis, cultivating cannabis, possessing the proceeds of crime and other offences.
The court heard police raided the man's home in March last year after they were tipped off by a Powercor investigator about an alleged illegal bypass system.
A search of Mr Iliesvki's property found 36 cannabis plants ranging in age from seedlings to adolescents.
The plants were found growing in three separate rooms comprising of sophisticated hydroponic set-ups, including lights, a carbon filter system to circulate air flow and an irrigation system.
Mr Iliesvki had also allegedly connected an electrical bypass system with Powercor estimating he stole more than $2000 of electricity over a four-month period.
Police also seized 50 grams of loose dried cannabis and $7000 cash in his bedroom drawer.
The court heard Mr Iliesvki admitted to cultivating the cannabis for four-and-a-half months, and that he'd tried twice before but failed.
He said he smoked the drug but it was too expensive to buy so he would sell "a little to get extra money".
He also admitted fitting the bypass system without permission.
But Mr Iliesvki's lawyer said his client would contest the charges he was selling the drugs, and that the $7000 was the proceeds of crime.
He said the accused man often did building work for cash and that was the explanation for the cash found in his bedroom.
Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge questioned whether that was a serious defence.
"Are you seriously saying that someone is going to invest all that capital, all that time, all that effort into cannabis for their own use?" he said.
"If he wants to chance his arm and run that defence, good luck to him. If he goes down, he is going to jail, let me make that crystal clear."
The matter will return to court on May 23 for a contest mention hearing.
The court is expected to hear evidence about the $7000 cash on that day.
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Jessica Howard
jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
jessica.howard@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
