Two Melbourne men charged with cultivating cannabis at a rural property near Ballarat have been remanded in custody.
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Luigi Selmanaj, 21, of Taylors Hill and 40-year-old Phuong Chau, of St Albans, were remanded in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon to re-appear before a magistrate next week.
This follows earlier reports of the Ballarat Divisional Response Unit allegedly seizing 90 cannabis plants after a search warrant was executed at a Rokewood property on Wednesday evening
Police allege the 90 plants were located in a hydroponic system with an electrical bypass to another property.
Police arrested both males, who have been charged with cultivating cannabis, trafficking cannabis and theft of electricity, at the property.
Representing Selmanaj, lawyer George Balot, told the court on Thursday his client’s matters would proceed to a plea hearing on August 31.
Asked about custody management issues he told the court Selmanaj had been in Australia for 10 years after leaving war-torn Kosovo and this was his first time in custody.
Also representing Chau, Mr Balot said the matter would also need to be adjourned until next Wednesday so a Vietnamese interpreter could be made available for his client who did not speak English.
No applications for bail were made.
Both men were remanded to reappear in court on August 31.
