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More than $60million worth of cannabis has been seized by police following a massive drug bust on two rural Queensland farms.
Detectives from the Drug and Serious Crime Group charged 11 people on Friday and Saturday after searching properties in Coonambula and Mount Maria.
The raids were part of Operation Victor Alon, a long-term investigation into an alleged ‘sophisticated criminal syndicate’ using isolated properties in Queensland to grow commercial quantities of cannabis.
It’s alleged the syndicate distributes its supply across Australia.
Last Friday, officers executed a search warrant on a property in Coonambula, 300km northwest of the Sunshine Coast in the state’s North Burnett region.
Police arrested 11 people after finding greenhouses allegedly full of cannabis plants on two rural Queensland properties (pictured, the greenhouses at the Coonambula property)
It’s alleged they discovered 11 greenhouses containing 4932 cannabis plants, including seedlings and fully grown plants, as well as dried and drying cannabis.
The drugs seized at the property have an estimated value of $24.7 million.
Officers also seized drug production equipment from the site.
Three Victorian men aged 30, 55 and 38 and a 41-year-old Bundaberg man were arrested.
They were charged with one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing anything used in the commission of crime and possessing anything for use in the commission of crime.
The men have been remanded in custody and will face Bundaberg Magistrates Court on October 3.
A fifth man was arrested on Saturday after arriving at the property in a vehicle allegedly carrying more drug equipment.
Police allegedly seized more than $60million worth of cannabis during the busts on Friday and Saturday (pictured, cannabis growing inside one of the Mount Maria greenhouses)
It’s alleged officers found 15 ‘sophisticated hydroponic purpose-built greenhouses’ (above) on a property at Mount Maria
The 39-year-old Queensland man was charged with producing dangerous drugs and possessing anything for use in the commission of crime.
He was remanded in custody and is set to appear in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 24.
That Saturday officers also raided a property at Mount Maria, 113km south of Gladstone in Central Queensland.
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It’s alleged officers found 15 ‘sophisticated hydroponic purpose-built greenhouses’, 6189 cannabis plants and 564.23kg of dried cannabis on the property.
They also allegedly found a large quantity of drug equipment and a small amount of cocaine.
The cannabis seized has an estimated value of $35.3 million.
Police allege six people working on the property ran from officers into nearby bushland and scrub and had to be tracked by the dog squad.
Police allege six people working on the Mount Maria property ran from officers into nearby bushland and scrub (pictured, police arresting one of the men)
It’s alleged officers found 564.23kg of dried cannabis on the Mount Maria property (pictured, a room on the Mount Maria property)
Two Victorian men aged 48 and 45 and four men from New South Wales aged 28, 30, 38 and 26 were arrested.
They have been charged with two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing anything for use in the commission of a crime, possessing anything used in the commission of a crime and possessing drug utensils.
The 28-year-old NSW man was remanded in custody and will face Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 17.
The other five men were also remanded in custody, with their matters to be heard in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on October 3.
Drug and Serious Crime Group State Drug Squad Detective Inspector Bradley Phelps thanked members of the public for assisting in the significant bust.
Police allegedly found 11 greenhouses containing 4932 cannabis plants (some above) on the Coonambula property
The 11 men arrested have all be remanded in custody with drug charges (pictured, greenhouses on the Coonambula property)
‘Information from the local community was vital in assisting us to investigate and successfully execute these warrants and seize cannabis with a combined value of $60million,’ he said.
‘While Queensland Police Service has a number of investigative methods, information from the public is crucial in helping us disrupt alleged criminal activity.
‘We thank everyone who has provided us information and urge anyone who may know something, no matter how small, to come forward.’
Operation Victor Alon remains ongoing.
