Man 'scammed $1.1m in cigarettes'

A MAN set up a fake shop front so he could steal more than $1 million in cigarettes from tobacco suppliers in just three weeks, a court has been told.
Son Thanh Nguyen, 50, of Durack, ran the scam from his leased shop at Capalaba between July and August 1999, the Brisbane District Court was told today.
Prosecutor Chris Minnery said Mr Nguyen ordered cigarettes from three suppliers - Australian Independent Wholesalers, Rothmans and Trio Brothers Pty Ltd - and then paid with valueless cheques upon delivery.
When the tobacco suppliers visited the shop to demand payment they found it empty.
The court was told Mr Nguyen had fled the country for Vietnam, where he was born and lived before coming to Australia in 1981 as a refugee.
Mr Minnery said none of the stock has been recovered, with suppliers suffering a total loss of more than $1.1 million.
The court was told Mr Nguyen eventually returned to Australia and was located by police in Inala in 2004.
He was charged with 17 counts of aggravated fraud to which he pleaded guilty today.
He was sentenced to six years' jail and will be eligible for parole after serving two years behind bars.