A pregnant woman arrested in June over a suspected grow house in Miners Rest has been committed to stand trial on drugs and theft charges.
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Anh Thi Luu, 22, and her co-accused Trong Vu, 33, were arrested at the Baxter Street address on June 20, when police allegedly uncovered cannabis growing in the rear of the home.
Luu, who has since given birth to her baby while in custody, was on Wednesday committed to stand trial in the County Court.
The Ballarat Magistrates Court was told Vu allegedly attempted to flee the address when the Ballarat Divisional Response Unit police arrived, but Luu was compliant.
During cross examination, defence counsel put to police informant Senior Constable Scott De La Rue police had no forensic evidence linking Luu to the cannabis plants growing in the home’s back bedrooms.
The informant agreed there was no evidence linking Luu to owning the property while her phone number was linked to the electricity account.
“From the moment I entered the garage there was an extreme smell of cannabis,” Senior Constable De La Rue said.
“When the power was on there was a slight hum (from the fans).”
Magistrate Ron Saines rejected defence counsel’s submission there was insufficient evidence Luu allegedly stole electricity.
“There is a substantial degree of evidence that would support an inference the accused was connected,” Mr Saines said.
Luu, who appeared by video link, pleaded not guilty to four charges including cultivating and trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis and stealing $19260 worth of electricity.
She did not apply for bail and will front the County Court in Ballarat in January for a direction’s hearing, while Vu faces a committal hearing in the Ballarat Magistrates Court in January.
Their arrests came after a long-running investigation into clandestine cannabis growers across the region, which involved Melbourne drug squad detectives.
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