Eight people were arrested in Buckland Park last week after thousands of cannabis plants were located at a property, believed to be one of the largest hauls in South Australian History. PHOTO: SAPOL
Brendan Simpkins
ONE of South Australia’s biggest drug busts took place in Buckland Park last week with thousands of cannabis crops uncovered by police.
Information about the operation was received via Crime Stoppers which allowed detectives from South Australian Police’s northern district with cause to raid the property on Nemesis Court.
Detectives arrived at the property just before 8am on December 29 and arrested eight people who attempted to flee the scene.
A search of the property located a significant amount of cannabis plants of varying sizes, growing in glasshouses and some being grown hydroponically.
There was also a large amount of dried cannabis located and seized.
Acting officer in charge of the Serious and Organised Crime Branch, Chief Inspector Darren Fielke, said the search had uncovered upwards of 5000 plants but expected that number to be doubled.
He said initial estimates had the crop worth millions of dollars.
The eight people arrested included a 50-year-old Burton man, a 49-year-old Mansfield Park woman, a 54-year-old woman, a 66-year-old woman, a 28-year-old man, a 39-year-old man, a 52-year-old man and a 45-year-old man all from unknown addresses.
At least one of those arrested is an unlawful citizen, and police were working with Australian Border Force to determine resident status of the other arrestees.
Insp Fielke said police were not ruling out any links to organized crime and other properties.
“Cannabis can be used to generate finance and income to further their criminal enterprises so we won’t stop here, we will continue to investigate and see how this is linked to other properties,” he said.
The plants seized were destroyed on site.
The eight people were charged with traffic in large commercial quantity of controlled drug and cultivate a commercial quantity of controlled drug.
They were refused police bail and appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court last Thursday.
Crime Stoppers SA Chair Sharon Hanlon encouraged South Australians to call the 1800 333 000 hotline with information on criminal activity.
She said every second call or online report related to drugs.
“This major drug bust demonstrates that when someone shares what they know with Crime Stoppers to be passed to police, it can make a big difference and help disrupt the local drug industry,” she said.
“Drug dealers are often hiding in plain sight – and we encourage people to step up and share what they know with Crime Stoppers without needing to say who they are or get involved.”
