Cannabis hydroponic house busted by police next to Sydney primary school
POLICE have called on landlords and real estate agents to be vigilant in order to stop rental properties being used to grow commercial quantities of cannabis.
The Express
Don't miss out on the headlines from The Express. Followed categories will be added to My News.
POLICE have called on landlords and real estate agents to be vigilant in order to stop rental properties being used to grow commercial quantities of cannabis.
Fifteen officers stormed the commercial cannabis growing house in the early hours of Friday morning, in a high visibility operation next to Bankstown West Public School.
Wetherill Park Region Enforcement Squad commander Gus Viera said 48 large cannabis plants worth $240,000 were seized and destroyed at the Dutton Rd house.
“It’s not the first time we’ve found a hydro house next to a primary school,” Chief Inspector Viera said.
“We’ve even had them next to childcare centres, believe it or not — they don’t discriminate, they set up where it’s convenient.”
It was the latest in a long string of prolific hydro houses busted by Strike Force Zambesi.
Over the six years of the operation, police have seized 58,000 cannabis plants and wiped $162 million of cannabis from the market.
Another bust in Warwick Farm on the same day netted 63 plants worth $189,000 and 12kg of cannabis head.
Chief Inspector Viera urged landlords and real estate agents to be vigilant about who was renting their properties.
“As a landlord you put your house in the hands of a real estate agent,” Chief Inspector Viera said.
“You have to make sure they do the due process and check out prospective tenants — check out their background history, their wage slips and their references.”
The Bankstown bust is evidence of what can happen in rental properties if checks are not carried out.
“You can’t just let anyone into your home,” Chief Inspector Viera said.
“Hydro houses cause a lot of damage as well and there is no insurance company that would cover it.”
Chief Inspector Viera also emphasised the importance of conducting regular checks.
“Go through a reputable real estate agent and get your house checked out every six months,” he said.
“If the owner can’t attend personally, they should ask for photographers with a time and date stamp as well.”
Community awareness continues to play a significant role in catching commercial cannabis growers.
“If you drop your kids off at school and something looks off — there are no cars in the driveway, the lawn is unmown, or mail is hanging out of the letterbox — contact Crime Stoppers,” Chief Inspector Viera said.
“The community’s eyes and ears work for us and that’s what we want to encourage.”
Whopping amount Sydney councils are spending on ‘staff travel’
Seminars focused on climate change and the benefits of cycling were among overseas visits taken by council employees last financial year as Sydney councils racked up a combined travel cost bill of more than $7 million.
Meet the talented young artists from ARTEXPRESS 2025
The annual art exhibition which shows some of the most outstanding and exemplary artworks across NSW by HSC visual arts students has opened. Meet the students and see their amazing works.