The major drug stings come as police make new strategic efforts to monitor and shut down a growing industry including raids on a total of 16 houses in just eight months. 

It is believed young, cash strapped Melbourne students are being recruited to drive Ballarat’s $8 million commercial cannabis supply market by out of town criminals who use the proceeds to fund both international and domestic crime. 

Local police have busted the grow houses and found more than 2570 cannabis plants in the last eight months. The grow houses – spread between Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Learmonth, Bannockburn and Rokewood – are set up in both rented and owned properties and tended to by young, often international, students who are paid cash-in-hand to procure the crops. 

The Courier’s analysis of court documents show an overwhelming number of Vietnam nationals have been prosecuted over a series of grow houses discovered in the Ballarat region over the past six months.

Police say the cheaper rents in Ballarat and surrounding suburbs were tempting to growers whose primary purpose of establishing the grow houses was to generate quick profit to fund both international and local crime.

Police have urged anyone who has noticed unusual or uncharacteristic behaviour from their neighbours to contact police.

This includes neighbours doing random and unusual renovations, people tampering with electrics, arriving at odd hours and having lights come on in sync.  

Report any suspicious behaviour to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Read The Courier’s full inside analysis of the booming regional cannabis industry in  Cannabis: The $8m Ballarat industry and what the police and courts are doing to crack down on the illegal trade; Cannabis: “Even those at the lower end of growing it must expect punishment”-Judge

Last week’s Friday Wendouree bust;  Police raid on drug grow house in Wendouree: PHOTOS, VIDEO

Last week’s Tuesday Redan bust: Police seize 150 cannabis plants in raid on Redan grow house