By NATALIE GALLENTI
MELTON Police are raiding up to three “grow homes” a week.
The operations are putting extreme pressure on human resources, according to Inspector Mario Fiorentino.
Insp Fiorentino told Star countless man hours were being spent raiding homes where cannabis was being grown and admitted it was a problem across Melbourne’s West.
The revelation comes in the wake of Operation Taxa in which Drug Task Force detectives pounced on properties across Melbourne including, Burnside, Caroline Springs, Melton West and Kurunjang, seizing cannabis plants with an estimated street value of more than $20 million.
Insp Fiorentino said the uprising of “grow” homes in the area was a major concern and said for many offenders it simply looks like an easy way to make money.
“It’s a big problem in the West. Quite frankly we’ve had them all over. We’ve had some in really good houses in good locations. There is no real rhyme or reason.
“It’s hard to say when it started… it was fairly remote a couple of years ago.”
He said dismantling the hi-tech hydroponic set-ups created a number of safety concerns for police officers and was a “big job” logistically.
Insp Fiorentino said most houses were raided after a tip off from residents who had noticed odd behaviour by their neighbours.
He said some of the tell-tale signs that you might be living next to a grow home include a strong musty smell emanating from the property, lights on well into the night and nomadic neighbours, as most grow homes remain vacant.
Meanwhile, a multi-agency taskforce arrested eight people and shut down two clandestine laboratories in Melbourne’s West last week.
Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police executed warrants at two addresses in Sunshine West on Friday following intelligence provided by the Australian Crime Commission.
Both properties contain clandestine laboratories, with one believed to be the largest ever located in Victoria.
Seven men were arrested and subsequently charged with manufacturing and trafficking a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine.
Those charged are aged between 26 and 44 and include a Vietnamese national, two Canadian nationals, one man from New South Wales and three men from South Australia.
All faced an out of sessions court hearing and were remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
A 31-year-old Derrimut man has also been arrested and was assisting investigators with their enquiries.
The arrests follow a Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF) investigation into the manufacture and interstate trafficking of commercial quantities of methylamphetamine.
The JOCTF is comprised of members from Victoria Police, the Australian Crime Commissioner (ACC), the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.
ACC Executive Director Paul Jevtovic said Friday’s bust was significant in the fight against organised crime.
“Not only has the intelligence and subsequent investigative operations dismantled two very dangerous clandestine laboratories operating in Melbourne’s residential streets, it has also successfully dismantled an entire organised criminal syndicate from head to toe,” Mr Jevtovic said.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said the result highlighted the importance of working with other organisations to target organised crime.
“We know that drugs are an issue that all law enforcement agencies are dealing with across Australia and it is vital that we continue to work together to target those who are involved in the manufacture and distribution of these substances,” Asst Comm Fontana said.
“Police will continue to target those who trade in illicit drugs and the Victorian community should be aware that we will not tolerate this type of activity.”
