The biggest drug dens outraging neighbours in Melbourne’s southeast
Once an exclusive hotel and venue for the most lavish weddings, this Frankston hotel has turned into a cesspit for drug use with addicts and criminals calling it home. And it’s not the only grubby drug den uncovered in Melbourne’s southeast.
South East
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From a former venue that turned into a cesspit for drug use to a run-down house that became a magnet for junkies, Melbourne’s southeast has had no shortage of grubby drug dens.
In recent years, furious people who call the area home have called on authorities to clean up derelict properties and drug houses.
Police have also busted into homes and factories and uncovered huge hauls of cannabis and other drugs.
Here’s some of the most lucrative drug raids and dens uncovered in recent years.
THE DANDENONG DRUG DEN
Angry neighbours in Dandenong raised concerns about a derelict house, that became a haven for drug users in March.
The dilapidated house, which was metres from Dandenong West Primary School, had children walking past it daily.
The Leader also visited the property after several neighbours said they had been complaining to the council and police for almost a year.
Several people were inside the property appearing to take drugs with a pipe and empty liquor bottles were scattered through the front yard.
Greater Dandenong Council city planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman said the council was aware of the property and had issued a building order to hoard up openings and fence the front.
AMBASSADOR HOTEL
It was once an exclusive hotel and venue for the most lavish weddings in Melbourne’s southeast.
But it’s now turned into a cesspit for drug use and a hotspot for criminals fresh out of jail.
Frankston’s Ambassador Hotel, one of Melbourne’s most sought-after party venues in the ’80s and 90s, has degenerated into an isolated mini-society with drug addicts and criminals calling it home.
When Leader visited in September, the property’s luxurious hotel rooms had turned into short-stay rentals — plagued with smashed windows, junk piles, graffiti and shattered beer bottles — unrecognisable to past guests.
In 2018, an ice-fuelled resident was jailed for stabbing his neighbour in the back over a $27 drug money dispute.
The violence got so bad police started to escort paramedics to drug overdoses and assaults.
Frankston Mayor Michael O’Reilly said the council had “no intention of acquiring the site at this stage” but were in regular contact with property owners to discuss improvements to its use and management.
MOORABBIN DRUG BUST
A sophisticated drug operation was busted in Melbourne’s southeast in September, a week after police seized 100 cannabis plants from another nearby home.
Officers swooped on a Moorabbin property and seized 70 cannabis plants from another hydroponic set-up.
A 42-year-old Israeli national was arrested at the Marrbridge Rd address.
Police said the alleged set-up was “sophisticated”.
The raid was part of an ongoing drug investigation.
Drugs and cash alleged to be the proceeds of crime were also found at the property.
The man was charged with multiple offences including drug trafficking, cultivating narcotic plants and failing to answer bail.
DANDENONG EYESORE
Neighbours of a derelict house in Dandenong called on authorities last year to take immediate action.
The vacant house, close to bustling Dandenong Market which is visited by thousands of families every week, had become a “haven for junkies, drug dealers and squatters”.
Their call for a clean-up came as police investigated fires at three derelict Dandenong properties, also believed to be occupied by squatters.
Paul, who did not want his surname published, said he had seen syringes scattered outside the Cleeland St property and noticed “nefarious characters” coming and going at all times of day.
Greater Dandenong Council city planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman said the council had slapped the owner with a clean-up order.
DRUGS, GUNS SEIZED IN SOUTHEAST RAIDS
A major ice and gun trafficking ring was uncovered after heavily armed police swooped on several properties in Melbourne’s southeast.
In a series of dawn raids in April 2018, officers from several specialist police units, including the elite Special Operations Group, arrested 14 people.
The dramatic operation followed a year-long inquiry which had initially begun as a low-level drug-dealing investigation in Dandenong.
Police seized more than 500 grams of methylamphetamine, two litres of GHB and more than 100 prescription pills.
Revolvers, shotguns, rifles, automatic weapons and ammunition were seized in the raids, as were a number of other banned weapons including swords, Tasers and knuckledusters.
Six men were charged with offences including trafficking a commercial quantity of amphetamines, trafficking firearms, possessing a drug of dependence and possessing unregistered firearms.
Three women were charged with offences relating to trafficking.
A Brighton woman was charged on summons with possessing a prohibited weapon.
Some of those arrested faced Dandenong Magistrates’ Court.
Four other people arrested were being interviewed by police.
CROP HOUSE BUST
A man was arrested after police allegedly discovered cannabis plants growing inside his home in Melbourne’s southeast.
The 47-year-old was found hiding inside the Narre Warren South home when police executed a search warrant in 2017.
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He was later charged with cultivating a narcotic plant and faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
The arrest was made as part of an operation targeting cannabis crop houses and associated organised crime syndicates statewide.