$26m worth of cannabis seized from Leongatha South property

“One of the most significant” cannabis operations in Victoria’s history has been dismantled after police seized $26m worth of plants from a property in Victoria’s southeast.

A $26m Vietnamese cannabis ring operating “one of the most significant” drug operations in the state’s history has been dismantled in a sleepy South Gippsland town.

Major Drug Squad detectives on Tuesday executed a search warrant at a property on Koonwarra Inverloch Rd in Leongatha South where they seized more than 6500 cannabis plants.

Detectives say “sophisticated” hydroponic set-ups were discovered in several huge greenhouses.

One of the larger cannabis plants weighed in at 1.7 tonnes and investigators estimate the 6525 plants would have a street value of more than $26m.

Drone footage of the South Gippsland property shows officers hauling dozens of plants from the greenhouses into a massive pile to be destroyed.

A huge bobcat was used to shift much of that as the product was too large for officers to move.

The huge piles of weed were then lit up and burnt at the property.

The $26m cannabis production was dismantled in South Gippsland. Picture: Victoria Police

The several commercial-sized greenhouses are situated behind the residence and are surrounded by a line of trees.

Five Vietnamese nationals, aged 25, 35, 47, 51 and 54, were arrested at the Leongatha South property and were all charged with cultivate and trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis.

The five arrested were all remanded to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on March 7 next year.

Major Drug Squad Detective Acting Inspector Leemara Fairgrieve said it was one of the largest drug operations seen in Victoria in years.

Det. Acting Insp. Fairgrieve said it was kept “very clean and neat” by those allegedly running the drug activity.

She said it took 15 members three whole days to remove the 6500 plants during the “dirty” and “smelly” job.

The product was destroyed at the property. Picture: Victoria Police

“It is definitely one of the bigger ones that I’ve seen,” she said.

“It was very, very well set up.

“It was well co-ordinated and organised, very methodical (with the) structures, water, electricity, dams on site.

“There were pretty much plants everywhere.”

It is believed the five people arrested were renting the property but the owner is yet to be contacted by police.

Police also say at least one of the alleged offender’s visas had expired and was being reviewed by federal authorities.

The multimillion-dollar South Gippsland sting sits high on the drug squad’s list of seizures in recent history.

An $11m cannabis production was destroyed with the help of the special operations group at several rural properties where they seized 1.4 tonnes of the drug.

One property near Maryborough, running a similar alleged set-up to the Leongatha South crew, had 1400 cannabis plants, weighing 800kg, seized.

Last month, a man with alleged Albanian organised crime links was charged with trafficking $1m worth of weed between Victoria and New South Wales using the Ghost crime app.

Originally published as $26m worth of cannabis seized from Leongatha South property