Source: Google
Bing Xia, the 38-year-old owner of the Kyoto House sushi bar in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, was sentenced on March 22, 2026, for his role in masterminding one of Western Australia’s largest cannabis cultivation operations.
Case Details and Sentencing
- Offense: Xia was identified as the mastermind behind a massive commercial cannabis operation located at a rural property on Bellrock Road in Kokeby, south of Beverley.
- Scale of Operation: Police seized 2,023 cannabis plants and 132kg of dried cannabis during a raid on January 5, 2023. While initial reports estimated the street value at $1.4 million, more recent reporting from The West Australian cites a figure of $5.2 million.
- Discovery: The plantation was uniquely discovered by a member of the public flying a glider who spotted the operation from above.
- Evidence: Investigators found encrypted messages from Xia labeling the location as “perfect” because Google Maps was only updated every five years. They also recovered a diary with sketches and business plans for the greenhouses that matched the setup found on-site.
- Defense: Xia initially claimed the property was intended for a “hobby farm” to grow mushrooms and tomatoes.
- Sentence: On March 22, 2026, he was handed a lengthy prison term, described by local media as a “whopping” or “giant” jail sentence
