By BEN CAMERON
THREE industrial drug factories containing 1568 marijuana plants worth $3.2 million have been busted in Berwick and Pakenham.
A 20-year-old woman was arrested in Berwick following the Friday morning raids on one Pakenham industrial unit and another two in Berwick.
“It’s the largest haul in recent years,” said Sergeant Richard Dawson from the Pakenham Tactical Anti Crime Team.
“We expect to interview other people in relation this.”
The sophisticated hydroponic operations were discovered after the Pakenham Tactical Anti-Crime Team executed two warrants on Friday morning as part of an on-going operation targeting drug trafficking in Melbourne’s outer south-eastern suburbs.The window of the leased industrial premises in Bormar Drive, Pakenham, was broken as five officers arrived at the premises about 8am and discovered 264 plants.
The 20-year-old Moonee Ponds woman was arrested at a premises in Intrepid Street, Berwick, and was interviewed later that morning.
“The woman was released pending further investigation,” a police spokesperson said.
“There are no updates expected for some time.”
The raid initially netted 945 plants at the Berwick location before officers returned later in the day to a neighbouring property to find 359 more plants.
Sergeant Dawson said it was a massive haul.“Plants seized on this scale have the potential to make a real difference to supply throughout the southern suburbs,” he said.
“This operation will be on-going in order to reduce the threat of illicit drugs in the community.
A neighbouring Pakenham business owner said the warehouse had been leased for at least the past three months.
“Workmen would come and go, we thought they were running a legitimate business,” he said.
“One of them grabbed the keys off me when they first came here.
“But we kept to ourselves, apparently it was pretty disgusting (inside).”
About 20 police were involved in the raids in Berwick.
