Here’s the latest Sydney cannabis bust and we’d suggest the size of the grow and its proximity to market illustrate that whoever is behind the grow probably wasn’t / isn’t too worried about enforcement issues and sees police as part of the risk with a bust as a when rather than an if issue.
A picture, as they say, is worth a 1000 words
Australia’s Pondering Pot website reports
New South Wales police have seized thousands of cannabis plants worth over $7 million after carrying out a major raid on a property in Sydney’s southwest.
At 8 am Wednesday morning, officers from Strike Force Hyperion carried out a crime scene warrant at a semi-rural property on Eagleview Road, Minto, located near Campbelltown.
Here are two maps to illustrate the point further
Local Map
Look how close the grow is to the University of Western Sydney and for those of you outside Sydney it is worth noting that Campbelltown is one of the fastest growing parts of the city and therefore a great place to distribute cannabis easily and at great profit.
Greater Sydney Map
This map illustrates relatively how close to market this grow was
Pondering Pot go on to say..
The scene was attended by detectives from the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearm Squad, and officers from the Bass Hill Region Enforcement Squad (RES), Campbelltown City Police Area Command and the Dog Unit.
Together, these officers located 2,379 cannabis plants – many of which were growing in a sophisticated greenhouse setup. In total, police estimate that these plants are worth $7.1 million on Sydney’s streets.
Police also seized cash and electronic devices from a home and a granny flat located at the residence. The raid was the result of a six-month police investigation.
NSW Police Drug Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson spoke to 7News about Wednesday’s bust, stating that many of the cannabis plants police seized were close to fully grown.
There are literally thousands of plants – various maturity – ready to go for harvest. They look like any other commercial vegetable, or any marketplace flower operations.
The cannabis was destroyed in a large bonfire. It’s uncertain whether the police were down or upwind when the bonfire was lit.
The raid resulted in the arrests of five men, aged 29, 29, 33, 25 and 49 years old. They were taken to Campbelltown Police Station, where they have been charged with the following offences:
- Cultivating a prohibited plant in a large commercial quantity
- Supplying a prohibited plant in an indictable quantity
- Recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime
- Participating in a criminal group
The men appeared before Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday, where they were denied bail. The Department of Home Affairs is currently investigating the visa status of the group.
Source: https://www.ponderingpot.com.au/nsw/7-million-in-cannabis-seized-in-sydneys-southwest/
The growers are obviously working for a syndicate and we’d suggest that if this syndicate doesn’t already have similar grows operating in Sydney there will be others to fill the gap very quickly.
We look forward to reporting the next one in a few weeks time and ad nauseum for the next 25 years.
