A man who played an organisational role in the attempted importation of more than a quarter of a tonne of the drug ice into Australia has been jailed for at least 11 years.
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Malaysian-born Wei Cong Wong , 30, was one of five men charged over the drug operation two years ago.
Police uncovered 262 kilograms of a crystalising substance comprising methamphetamine hidden in three containers which arrived in Melbourne via a ship from China about June 19, 2016, and were taken to a Bayswater factory.
The drugs comprised 209 kilograms of pure methamphetamine worth between $37 and $58 million, a record for the time in Victoria.
They were hidden under the floorboards of the three shipping containers.
In July, a jury found Wong, of Box Hill, guilty of attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
He was sentenced at the County Court in Ballarat late last week to 15 years in jail with a minimum of 11 years.
Judge Liz Gaynor said the prosecution had submitted Wong should be sentenced as playing a significant and active role in respect to attempted importation.
She said she was satisfied Wong played an active role in preparing for the drugs to arrive when the containers were delivered to the drug organisation's warehouses.
Wong's responsibilities included conducting "dummy runs" between two warehouses, preparing materials to assist in replacing the shipping container's floorboards and surveilling the warehouse during delivery of the containers.
Wong's co-accused Raymond Lach and An Ken Vi, both 26, pleaded guilty to their charges and received 13 years in jail with a non-parole period of nine years.
Their role was described as extracting the drugs from the containers and delivering them to prospective traffickers.
Judge Gaynor said her inference was Wong played an "important role in this lengthy and sophisticated enterprise".
The judge described Wong's role as "lower level but a pivitol organisational role in this sophisticated and carefully planned importation".
Wong has already served 824 days in pre-sentence detention.
The drugs were uncovered after a joint operation by federal and Victorian police and other agencies.
Other co-accused were Andrew Findlay, 26, and Dimitri Shakhanov, 30.
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