Legal secretary carries $7m drugs on plane
A legal secretary who was “keen to impress” her then-drug trafficker fiancee carried three suitcases’ worth of marijuana on a plane bound for Brisbane for him, a court has been told.
Emily Louise Ross cried in the dock of Brisbane Supreme Court as the details of her role in a major trafficking operation – estimated by a judge to be worth more than $7m – was laid bare by prosecutors on Friday.
More than 45kg of marijuana, along with substantial amounts of cocaine, methylamphetamine and cash, were seized after police surveilled the young woman when she touched down from Brisbane airport in December 2019.
Ross had carried the drug in three suitcases after flying from Sydney to Brisbane and delivered it to her then-partner, Paul Luu.
“It was extremely serious conduct,” crown prosecutor Natalie Lima told the court.
“She would have been aware it was a substantial amount and it was for commercial purposes.”
Ross, 27, was ultimately jailed for five years but Supreme Court Justice Lincoln Crowley ordered the head sentenced be immediately suspended.
She had pleaded guilty late last year to three counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
The court was told Ross and Luu were engaged to be married at the time she carried three suitcases full of drugs onto a Brisbane-bound plane on December 23, 2019.
After delivering them to Luu at a hotel room in Spring Hill, she was handed another suitcase and told to place it in a storage locker in Oxley.
That suitcase contained 6.7kg of pure methylamphetamine and 437g of cocaine.
The court was told the estimated value of both those drugs was worth up to $7M, while the marijuana was worth up to $1.36m.
“The police had been surveilling Ms Ross’ movements on that day and intercepted her as she was about to open Mr Luu’s storage locker,” Ms Lima said.
Two firearms were found inside the locker.
Police discovered just over 45kg of packaged marijuana and other amounts of drugs and cash when they searched Luu’s hotel room.
Luu was jailed for 12 years in 2022 with immediate parole eligibility due to his time served in pre-sentence custody.
Ross’ defence barrister Matthew Hynes told the court his client’s act was an “isolated aberration” that took place on one morning.
Ross was supported by family and friends in court on Friday.
The court was told she had no criminal history and Ross was “temporarily involved” in the drug operation.
Mr Hynes said Ross had an “unsettled” early life but obtained gainful employment as a legal secretary.
She had since turned to starting her own beauty business, the court was told.
Mr Hynes said character references spoke of Ross being “isolated”, separated from her family and friends and “victimised” at Luu’s hands.
A psychological report spoke of Ross being “captivated” by Luu’s lifestyle at the time and being “keen to impress” him.
“That is, she’s more likely to do what he says,” Mr Hynes said.
In sentencing Ross, Justice Crowley took into account the “exceptional circumstances” present in the case, including the woman’s need to care for her one-month old baby.
Supporters expressed relief outside court, one hugging Ross as she left the dock following court.
