Secret door found inside cannabis grow house at Greenwith, 99 plants found at Port Wakefield home

Police searching a cannabis grow-house in Greenwith stumbled across a bookcase with a few secrets on Sunday.

A secret door disguised as a bookcase was hiding a cannabis grow room at a Greenwith house, with two people now facing serious drug charges.

Police raided two homes on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into a drug-dealing group growing and trafficking marijuana across Adelaide.

Serious and Organised Crime Branch members found 65 immature cannabis plants growing in pots in an ‘nursery’-style set-up at the Greenwith home.

A number of racks appearing to have been used to dry harvested cannabis were also found, although no harvested cannabis was located during the search.

The cannabis plants and associated equipment were inside a room accessible only by a secret doorway hidden by a bookcase opened only by “electronic means”.

That’s not just a bookcase. Picture: SAPOL

And those aren’t for holding magazines. Picture: SAPOL

Police also found about $135,000 cash hidden within the home. Electricity had also been diverted at the property.

During a search of the Port Wakefield property, police found 99 cannabis plants of varying levels of maturity growing in a sophisticated hydroponic set-up across five separate grow rooms. Electricity had also been diverted at the property.

A man, 38, and a woman, 33, both from Greenwith, were arrested and charged with cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis, cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis, possession of prescribed equipment, diverting electricity and unlawful possession. They were bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in March.

Police said the seizures would hurt the Adelaide cannabis market.

The grow rooms at Port Wakefield had 99 plants and a lot of problems. Picture: SAPOL

More cannabis plants found inside the Port Wakefield house. Picture: SAPOL

“The level of sophistication with respect to the secret underground room at the Greenwith property and the manner in which the grow rooms were set up at the Port Wakefield property highlights the extent to which individuals and groups will go to in an effort to avoid detection and ensure their criminal enterprises prosper,” Detective Chief Inspector Darren Fielke said.

“Those members of the community who engage in this criminal activity do so at their own risk and need to be aware that police are continually conducting investigations and operations to target this activity and it is often only a matter of time before they are caught.”

The raids come after police busted what’s thought to be SA’s largest cannabis operation late last month at Buckland Park.

Eight people were arrested and are facing a variety of charges after the raid netted more than 7000 plants “hiding in plain sight” and 336kg of drying dope on the northern outskirts of Adelaide.

The site was ransacked and looted in the days after the multi-million-dollar operation was busted.

Police encourage anyone who has information about individuals or groups involved in drug related activity to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au