One criminal will likely be the butt of the joke (hopefully that’s all) for the foreseeable future after being pulled over in Rockingham, just south of Perth in WA. Because his little mishap led to quite a bit of damage being done to his organisation.
In addition to the 25kg of cannabis head seized during the initial traffic stop, an additional three search warrants were carried out based on gathered intelligence. Those three searches led to 56 cannabis plants, hydroponic equipment, and some cash, added to the running tally.
WA Police Officers were simply having too much fun, and decided to search an additional seven houses around the state – most of them occurring further north in Geraldton.
With the additional of local law enforcement, they snagged another 265 cannabis plants, which the cops deemed to be ‘Established Cannabis Grow Houses’.
All up, a total of five arrests were made – all charged with a string of cannabis related offences. Unlike the cannabis crime news coming out of NSW, Detective Senior Sergeant Ray Horne, the Officer in Charge of the Organised Crime Squad was quick to name and the Vietnamese Established Criminal Networks as the culprits. Also sympathising with the rattled landlords of the properties.
In many cases property owners who self-advertise their properties online are targeted, usually by offenders who pose as a family group and who request that inspections not be undertaken for various reasons. Property owners should stand firm and ensure they have steps in place for them to protect their investment properties. The destruction caused to properties through the establishment of a Cannabis Grow House is extensive and at times involve significant remediation works. The damage, which is common to include illegal modifications to the power supply, can also be dangerous – even life-threatening.
Even though police have released a report of the above accounts, the investigation continues. And it seems like they hope the trail never fizzles.
It’s uncertain how bit of a hit this will be to the weed prices in WA, but likely not a large one.