NEWS: The Advertiser - 08/05/07 'Is your neighbour making drugs?'

Is your neighbour making drugs?
SAM RICHES
POLICE REPORTER
May 08, 2007 02:15am
Article from: The Advertiser

IT could be any house on any street in any suburb. It could be a cannabis growing house or a methamphetamine factory - and it could be next door to you.

At first glance the house might seem innocent enough, but look closer - it could be blatantly advertising illicit drug production.

"They are trying to be covert, but in being covert, that behaviour can be strange in itself," Detective Superintendent Paul Dickson of the Drug Investigation Branch said.

"Most people living in a normal domestic setting don't have blinds drawn 24 hours a day or bright lights on in their garages 24 hours a day," he said.

There are many tell-tale signs that all is not as it appears, he said. "There are obvious factors when you look at a house that suggest it may have, has been or is being used for the purpose of cannabis cultivation or as a clandestine laboratory."

If the house is being used to grow cannabis hydroponically, tell tale signs could include; blinds drawn, windows blacked out - usually with black plastic or alfoil, water pipes entering the premises, the sounds of fans and extraction fans operating around the clock and possibly the strong smell of cannabis. Unusual traffic - either many cars coming and going or possibly late night traffic or short visits if it is not occupied is another clue.

"The only real differences to cannabis for clan labs are often an unusual chemical smell from the premises or barrels or drums of chemicals lying around which you wouldn't expect to see in a domestic setting," he said.

It is also these suburban houses that pose some of the biggest threats to communities and the environment.

"With hydroponics there's significant danger of the house burning down as things like wiring are usually not done with a great amount of electrical expertise," he said.

"When you talk about clan labs there are significant dangers of explosions, fire and just being exposed to chemicals themselves - often not destroyed in appropriate manner, either tipped in a garden, septic or sewerage system, which can impact on neighbouring premises."

So far this financial year police have dismantled 45 clan labs and expect a 15 to 20 per cent increase in detections compared to 48 labs for the previous financial year.

Police urge anyone suspecting illicit drug production to call Crime Stoppers

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If the house is being used to grow cannabis hydroponically, tell tale signs could include.... possibly the strong smell of cannabis.

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