By Kate Bonsack
ALTONA North Regional Response Unit police officers seized 180 cannabis plants on Thursday at a Kings Park property, where they found an elaborate electrical system that was stealing electricity to power the cultivation.
A 32-year-old Malaysian man was taken to the Altona North Police Station for interviewing and was expected to be charged with cultivating and trafficking a drug of dependence.
The raid started at 9.20am and saw officers remove the cannabis from the home as part of Operation Plexel, which over the past 12 months has resulted in police arresting 35 people in relation to drug charges.
Altona North Regional Response Unit sergeant Jason Templar said when the police entered the property they found an elaborate system.
“The plants were in the house and in a backyard shed, but the electrical system used to power the hydroponic system was elaborate with an electricity bypass installed so power was being stolen from Powercor,” he said.
“The plants were concealed in fabricated rooms in the house and charcoal filters used to hide the smell of cannabis.”
Police believe the 180 seized plants would have had a street value of more than $500,000.
Sgt Templar said the plants have been sent to a forensic laboratory for testing and the equipment taken to a police headquarters, which can later be used as evidence.
This was the third Operation Plexel drug seizure on a Kings Park property in three months.
In December 150 cannabis plants were seized from two properties.
During September and October last year, Operation Plexel officers searched 32 properties in the western suburbs where 2727 cannabis plants with a street value of more than $8.1 million were seized.
The officers also seized $40,000 cash, $500,000 worth of hydroponic equipment, 32 kilograms of cultivated cannabis and $1.7 million of assets.
Sgt Templar said police officers would continue to search for drug cultivators and traffickers in the western suburbs.
“I’m sure there is twice as much (drugs) out there of what we see,” he said.
“So we will continue to get warrants and search properties.”
