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Fire crew find $6m cannabis crop
By Rebecca Lang
25may03
A COMMERCIAL cannabis operation worth a staggering $6.4 million was uncovered by firefighters on Friday night during a house fire in Pennant Hills.
It is believed the fire started as a result of an electrical fault relating to the sophisticated lighting and hydroponic system used to cultivate the crop.
Police described the haul, which included more than 1300 plants and a large quantity of loose plant leaves, as one of the biggest ever found in western Sydney.
"This would be one of the biggest we've found so far; we've only recently started to increase our investigations in regards to hydroponics," Drug Squad Det Sgt Steve Nealon said.
"People don't think there's much money involved with cannabis when compared to harder drugs. But when you can yield $5000 from one plant ... it's a lot of money."
Firefighters were called to the home at 6pm on Friday. Once the fire was under control, firefighters alerted police and a team of Drug Squad detectives sealed off the area.
Detectives are yet to charge anyone in connection with the find, but they do have some leads. The Pennant Hills Rd home, which has been partially destroyed by the fire, was being rented out to tenants at the time of the fire.
The whole lower half of the home was taken up with plants in various stages of growth, from seedlings through to mature plants and cultivated leaf.
Police believe the occupants of the home fled when they failed to put out the fire, leaping a nearby fence and dropping a plastic garbage bag filled with cannabis leaf and electricity bills for the property totalling $900.
Police said the sophisticated operation included $40,000 worth of hydroponic equipment and lighting, supplies of plastic bags and commercial scales.
Det Sgt Nealon, who also heads the cannabis unit, said hydroponic plants fetched two to three times the street value of other plants.
"Hydroponic methods accelerate the growth of the plant and increase the yield," he said.
"With the indoor plants you can harvest just about everything.
"A mature hydro plant can fetch an estimated $5000."
Police investigations into the cannabis operation are continuing.
From: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,6490533%255E421,00.html
Also: Police sieze $6.4m cannabis crop
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