As an official for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, it was Erol Ibrahim's job to be vigilant in detecting for signs of overseas-borne insects and diseases in plants that arrived at Melbourne Airport's freight centre.
But after developing a friendship with Allan Neo, known in Melbourne's west as The Orchid Man for his Hoppers Crossing-based flower business, Ibrahim became deficient in his duties and was deliberately lenient when inspecting the 12 shipments that were sent every week from Taiwanese orchid growers to Mr Neo.
Ibrahim oversaw dozens of shipments addressed to Mr Neo, the County Court heard on Friday, without applying the rigorous inspections that usually accompany imports given the need to protect Australian agriculture and industry, in exchange for cash, gifts and part-time shifts at The Orchid Man's farm.
In addition to lenient inspections, Ibrahim provided the Neos with classified information about rival flower farmers such as how many shipments they received and what sort of freight costs they paid.