Two men have been remanded into custody after police found what is believed to be more than $1 million worth of cannabis at two Ballarat houses.
The Ballarat Divisional Response Unit carried out a search warrant at a property on Maple Avenue, Wendouree early Friday morning where approximately 130 cannabis plants were found.
This follows a second bust recently in Mountview Drive where it is alleged another 231 plants were found. The total value of the plants if they have reached maturity is estimated at $3000 per plant.
The DRU spent Friday morning dissembling the Maple Avenue operation, collecting plants and equipment as evidence and loading them into a truck. The operation appeared to be set up at the back of the property behind roller garage doors.
“We’ve basically found what they would call a cannabis grow house,” Ballarat Divisional Response Unit Sergeant Kori Fraser said.
“It’s a general hydroponic setup system with lighting and automatic watering.
“The lights are on timers at different stages and then (there is) just (a) watering (system) with filters and chemicals going through.”
A Powercor team arrived at the property just after 8.30am and assisted the police in the disconnection of the electrical installation.
The men appeared briefly before the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court late Friday afternoon for a file hearing.
Duc Nguyen and Van Nguyen, who have been charged with trafficking cannabis and cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis at the two addresses, both stated to the magistrate they could not speak English.
They were remanded in custody to reappear in court for committal mention on February 16.
Sergeant Fraser said the discovery of the crop house was “really important”, especially as police look to curb a larger problem in Ballarat.
“Obviously we don’t want drugs in the community and the more we chip away at it, the less drugs there will be on the streets,” he said.
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