Police arrested a man after locating a cannabis crop house in Port Melbourne containing mature cannabis plants valued at more than half a million dollars.
Detectives from the Prahran Divisional Response Unit executed a search warrant at a Port Melbourne residential address, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged large-scale cultivation and trafficking of cannabis in Port Melbourne.
Upon entering the property, investigators located a complex hydroponic cannabis crop house and seized more than 130 mature cannabis plants weighing approximately 150kg.
A further 1.5kg of bagged cannabis valued at $16,000 and a small amount of methamphetamine was also seized.
Police estimate the total street value of the seized cannabis is approximately $500,000.
A 55-year-old Port Melbourne man was arrested and charged with cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis. He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (July 20).
Sergeant Grant Farley, Prahran Divisional Response Unit, said: “Victoria Police will continue to come down hard on anyone looking to line their pockets from cultivating or manufacturing drugs. We know that the consequences of drugs out in the community can be detrimental, including road trauma caused by impaired drivers, flow-on mental health impacts and financially funding further criminal activity.
“This is why we are incredibly pleased to prevent such a large significant amount of illicit drugs from reaching the streets and causing harm to our community,” Sgt Farley said.