Anthony "Tony" Hammond, a 57-year-old tourism operator linked to one of Victoria's oldest farming families, has admitted trafficking cocaine after being caught in a police sting. The case was heard in Melbourne County Court, where Hammond faced allegations tied to dealing in two kilos of the drug.
Hammond is described as a veteran figure in high-end tourism and the owner of a luxury waterfront retreat. The court was told he had been supported by his partner, children and parents as the matter proceeded.
According to the court account, Hammond's lawyers said the offending came after years of worsening drug use. That background formed part of the case as he admitted trafficking cocaine, shifting the focus from whether he committed the offence to the circumstances surrounding it.
The case has drawn attention because of Hammond's standing in Victoria's tourism sector and his family's long agricultural history. With the admission now before Melbourne County Court, the matter stands as a high-profile drug trafficking case involving a prominent regional business figure.
