How to spot the hallmarks of a 'hydro house'
AT a quick glance they look like any other suburban home - red brick with well-kept lawns and maybe even a dog in the yard.
Look a little closer and you will notice that the lights inside are unusually bright, there's a lock on the electricity meter and the dog has a savage disdain for any visitors.
Welcome to a typical southwest Sydney drug house, responsible for the cultivation of thousands of cannabis plants.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Field Operations Nick Kaldas said the suburban "hydro house" was of great concern to police - and he called for people to report any suspicious houses in their street or suburb.
"It is disturbing to find these set-ups in quiet residential streets, next door to daycares or schools, near playgrounds or around the corner from shopping centres," Mr Kaldas said.
"Almost all the houses were modified for the sophisticated set-ups and fitted with extremely dangerous - and illegal - electrical bypasses.
"A surge in power or illegal rewiring carried out to bypass the meter can quite easily cause a fire or electrocution, which poses a great risk to the community, especially unsuspecting neighbours."
Police have formed Strike Force Zambesi to combat the cultivation of cannabis across southwest Sydney.
Since it was established in April last year, the strike force has shut down 136 hydroponic set ups and confiscated $53 million in cannabis.
Police have uncovered drug houses spanning Rosehill, Ashfield, Bankstown, Cabramatta, Fairfield, Green Valley and Campbelltown.
They have charged 51 people with 139 offences including drug cultivation, drug possession, fraud and electricity theft.
As well as the large amount of cannabis, officers have confiscated and destroyed hydroponic, electrical and lighting equipment as well as chemicals.
Some things to look for if you suspect a drug house in your area include increased security measures such as roller shutters, fences, guard dogs; locks on the electricity meter; condensation on windows; and large amounts of garbage.
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