The Newcastle Herald reported that Nga White, 44, was investigated by local authorities after a receipt from her nail and beauty salon was found in a cannabis dump site in the Wallsend suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, in March last year. Detectives found that Nga owned or leased at least eight properties in the region. The properties were placed under surveillance from April to August last year. Police found seven Vietnamese men, deemed Nga’s "underlings" in the syndicate, cultivating large quantities of cannabis on the properties. Six of them were found to have come to Australia illegally. Last month, three of the seven men were arrested with 18 kilograms of cannabis by local police in Newcastle. A local house raid followed, and Nga was arrested. Nga appeared in the Newcastle District Court last Thursday. During her arraignment, she pleaded not guilty to charges of "directing the activities of a criminal group," "cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis," … [Read more...] about Vietnamese Australian woman faces trial for running cannabis syndicate
Cannabis
Five Vietnamese nationals in Australia part of $2.8mln cannabis operation
Hundreds of cannabis plants were found in six separate homes in the suburbs of Maitland, New South Wales during multiple raids in the area by local police in February, the Wednesday report said. Vuong Luu Quoc, Anh Quang Pham, Tuan Dac Trinh and Kim Phuong admitted in the Newcastle Local Court Wednesday to “crop sitting” the cannabis plants at homes in Tenambit, Heddon Greta and Morpeth in February. “Crop sitting” refers to the act of living inside homes while watering and keeping watch on cannabis plants grown there. Anh Thy Vu, wife of Quoc, pleaded guilty to "concealing a serious indictable offense" after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) withdrew a charge of "cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant," quoted The Herald. She was said to not have been involved in the cultivation of the cannabis plants. Quoc and Pham pleaded guilty to “cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant.” Quoc, Pham, Trinh and Phuong will … [Read more...] about Five Vietnamese nationals in Australia part of $2.8mln cannabis operation
Canada becomes first major economy to legalise recreational cannabis
Viet Nam News OTTAWA — Canada on Wednesday became the world’s first major economy to fully legalise cannabis, sparking celebrations as the nation embarked on the controversial experiment in drug policy. Throughout the country huge lines outside pot shops snaked around city blocks, cannabis flew off store shelves and government websites processed 100 pot orders per minute. Scores of customers braved the cold for hours outside Tweed, a pot boutique in St John’s, Newfoundland that opened at midnight, to buy their first grams (ounces) of legal cannabis. Ian Power said prior to its grand opening, he was happy to "make history" by being the first to legally buy pot in Canada, adding that he would frame those few grams rather than smoke them. "I’m elated. I’m so excited, I can’t stop smiling. I’m not cold. It’s freezing cold out, but I’m not cold," he said. In Cape Breton, platinum record-selling fiddler Ashley MacIsaac was among the … [Read more...] about Canada becomes first major economy to legalise recreational cannabis
Discovery of London cannabis farms raises child slavery fears
Experts raised the warning on Monday, after new figures emerged showing the scale of cultivation of the illegal drug. Police have found 314 illegal cannabis farms in the British capital since 2016, according to official data obtained by the London Evening Standard newspaper, the equivalent of one every two days. Experts say children are being trafficked from Vietnam and other countries to work in these farms, which are often located in residential properties, and that the scale of the problem has been vastly underestimated. “The high number of cannabis farms across London and trafficking of Vietnamese children to work in them is extremely worrying,” said Jakub Sobik, a spokesman for Anti-Slavery International. “Potentially thousands of children and young people are being trafficked from Vietnam and exploited by ruthless criminal gangs,” he said. Catherine Baker, policy officer at anti-child trafficking organization ECPAT U.K., said authorities often treated … [Read more...] about Discovery of London cannabis farms raises child slavery fears
Customs officials find 4kg of cannabis at airport
Customs officials at HCM City’s Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport on June 29 found four kilos of cannabis concealed in 20 vacuum-sealed food packages – Photo nld.com Viet Nam News HCM CITY – The Customs Department at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City on June 29 seized over four kilos of cannabis hidden in 20 vacuum-sealed food packages sent from an unidentified person in the US’s California. The packages were said to be received by a man known as P.T.T. from Hà Nội, according to customs officials. Since the beginning of the year, customs officials have seized over 37 kilos of cannabis at the airport in HCM City. Customs officials said there had been an increase in the number of ecstasy and cannabis packages sent from Canada and the US to HCM City, surrounding provinces and northern provinces via air transport. – VNS … [Read more...] about Customs officials find 4kg of cannabis at airport
Four kilogram cannabis detected in Tan Son Nhat Airport
Customs inspectors discovered drugs were hidden in food containers and personal consignments. Through investigation, the receiver is a local in Hoang Mai District in Hanoi and the sender is a man in the US. Further investigation will be carried out. From the beginning of the year, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch has detected 23 consignments weighing 37 kilogram in the marijuana trafficking ring via the airport For instance, on June 19, customs officials discovered 2.7 kilogram of marijuana in a batch from the US to a local in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. The marijuana was hidden in 12 plastic vacuum-packed bags mixed with personal boxes and commodity containers.By CHI THACH – Translated by UYEN PHUONG Tags: cannabis detected in Tan Son Nhat Airport marijuana trafficking ring … [Read more...] about Four kilogram cannabis detected in Tan Son Nhat Airport
Canada lawmakers vote to legalize cannabis
Canada is set to become the first G7 country to legalize cannabis after lawmakers on Monday passed a bill that would allow free consumption of the mind-altering drug. Passed by 205 votes to 82 in the House of Commons, the legislation must still pass the Senate - which could delay, but not block it - and receive royal assent by the governor general before becoming law, likely by September. Legalizing weed was a 2015 campaign promise of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has acknowledged smoking a joint with friends "five or six times" including since being elected as an MP. The Liberal government's pointman on the pot file, Bill Blair, said at the weekend it was "probably looking at a date of implementation somewhere toward the beginning of September, perhaps mid-September." Uruguay approved the recreational usage of marijuana five years ago and nine US states and the capital Washington have done so too, but Canada will be the first G7 country to take the step. An initial July 1 target … [Read more...] about Canada lawmakers vote to legalize cannabis
Australia green-lights medicinal cannabis exports
SYDNEY — Australia agreed to allow exports of medicinal cannabis on Thursday in a boost to budding domestic manufacturers, as it eyes becoming a leading world supplier. The country’s first medical marijuana farm received its growers’ licence in March last year and others have followed, with the government seeing a big future for the industry. "This is actually a very important step for our domestic patients and our domestic supply," Health Minister Greg Hunt told broadcaster ABC. "By knowing they have an Australian market and an international market, that improves the likelihood of growing and production in Australia." He added that Australia was keen to become "the world’s number one medicinal cannabis supplier", but that a condition of any export licence was that local patients were taken care of first. "We want a robust Australian medicinal cannabis industry so that doctors have safe, quality domestic products that they can confidently prescribe to their … [Read more...] about Australia green-lights medicinal cannabis exports
Australia to permit medicinal cannabis exports in bid to capture lucrative market
SYDNEY, Jan 4 -- Australia said Thursday it planned to become the fourth country in the world to legalise medicinal marijuana exports in a bid to score a piece of the estimated $55 billion global market. Cannabis cultivation in Australia is still relatively small, as recreational use remains illegal. But the government hopes domestic medicinal use, legalised last year, and exports will rapidly boost production. "Our goal is very clear: to give farmers and producers the best shot at being the world's number one exporter of medicinal cannabis," Health Minister Greg Hunt told reporters in Melbourne. Shares in the more than a dozen Australian cannabis producers listed on the local exchange soared after the announcement. Cann Group, AusCann Group and BOD Australia all rose more than 20 percent, hitting record highs, while Hydroponics Company rose 19 percent to its highest price in a month. Peter Crock, chief executive of Cann Group, which cultivates cannabis for medicinal and research … [Read more...] about Australia to permit medicinal cannabis exports in bid to capture lucrative market
Cannabis ingredient holds promise as antipsychotic medicine
An ingredient in cannabis called cannabidiol or CBD has shown promise in a clinical trial as a potential new treatment for psychosis, scientists said on Friday. In research involving 88 people with psychosis - a mental disorder characterized by anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations - the scientists found patients treated with CBD had lower levels of psychotic symptoms than those who received a placebo. They were also more likely to be rated as "improved" by their psychiatrist, the study found, and there were signs of better cognitive performance and functioning. The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. It can induce paranoia and anxiety and other unpleasant psychotic symptoms. But its second major constituent, CBD, has the opposite effects to THC - leading scientists to think it might one day be useful as a treatment in mental health. Scientists at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience conducted a … [Read more...] about Cannabis ingredient holds promise as antipsychotic medicine