Arrests after strike force uncover drug ring in Granville, Dundas Valley, Eastwood homes
Alert neighbours have helped police nab close to $6 million of cannabis from hydroponic homes across Sydney and the Central Coast.
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A large-scale drug syndicate has been dismantled by police following a series of simultaneous raids on homes at Granville, Dundas Valley, Eastwood, West Ryde, Epping, Northmead, and Gorokan on the state’s mid-north coast.
Detectives from the NSW Police Drug and Firearms Squad arrested two people following the raids — which police alleged were part of a large-scale cannabis cultivation ring across Sydney, confiscating more than 1500 cannabis plants with a street value of $5.8 million.
“In May 2019, detectives from the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearms Squad established Strike Force Garford to investigate the hydroponic cultivation of cannabis in Sydney,” a NSW Police spokesman said.
According to Detective Acting Superintendent Michael Cook, from the drug and firearms squad, said neighbours rang the initial alarm bells about one of the properties, which started the in-depth investigation.
“We received our first tip from the public, and we would encourage the public to stay aware of the comings and goings of their neighbours,” Det. Sup cook said.
The strike force searched the homes from 6am this morning, with the support of North West and South West Metropolitan Region Enforcement Squads.
Police arrested a 27-year-old Bankstown woman, a 43-year-old Bankstown man and a 28-year-old Gorokan man following the raids, which uncovered “elaborate hydroponic set-ups” in eight homes. According to Det Sup Cook, the Bankstown pair were “middle management” in the operation.
“The two Bankstown people would source the homes and rent them out in fake names, and the Gorokan man was a house sitter, who was at the property at the time of the raid.”
Det. Sup. Cook said it was likely the drugs found would help fund furhter criminal operations.
“Cannabis is the jet fuel of organised crime,” det. Sup. cook said.
“These people were stealing electricity, they had jerry-rigged power from the electricity of neighbours and made themselves a danger to neighbouring properties.”
