Elaborate scheme: Police said plants 60-80 centimetres high were hidden in a room of a Beverly Hills house where plaster walls were erected in front of windows. Picture: James Alcock
POLICE dismantled two large-scale hydroponic set-ups and seized 258 cannabis plants worth more than $750,000 in two separate raids in St George this week.
Officers attached to Redfern region enforcement squad broke down the door of a Beverly Hills house about 8am yesterday.
They found 160 cannabis plants growing in several rooms and a granny flat. Police believe that haul is worth an estimated $450,000.
No one was home at the time the red brick Illawarra Parade house was raided.
Hurstville duty officer Inspector Tony Unicomb said police were acting on a tip-off after neighbours noticed people entering the house at strange hours for the past six months.
The same officers attached to strikeforce Grassy also raided a Union Street house at Riverwood on Tuesday and seized 98 plants worth about $300,000.
A Riverwood man, 28, and woman, 53, were expected to appear before Burwood Local Court yesterday charged in relation to their involvement in the Riverwood set-up.
Police arrested the pair at the scene early on Tuesday and found a 16-month-old baby boy living at the house.
Inspector Unicomb said the Riverwood raid was not linked to the Beverly Hills drug bust.
"This is a major cannabis hydroponic set-up in the Hurstville area and it is a good result in relation to keeping cannabis off the streets," he said.
REPORT ACTIVITY
OFFICERS attached to the Redfern region enforcement squad and Hurstville police are urging residents to report any unusual activity in neighbouring units or houses.
‘‘We’d encourage members of the public to be vigilant in reporting any suspicious activity in relation to people coming and going from houses at odd hours or seeing strange equipment being brought in and out of places,’’ Hurstville police Inspector Tony Unicomb said.
People were also encouraged to contact police if they noticed any strong chemical or fertiliser smells emanating from residences. Neighbours living near a hydroponic set-up at Beverly Hills said they noticed people arriving at strange hours and heard renovation noise coming from the house for about six months.