South Australia police have seized 3,190 cannabis plants in a single day, after carrying out a series of raids in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The states Serious and Organised Crime Branch carried out a series of drug busts on Monday, searching eight semi-rural and northern suburbs properties. Across all the properties, police seized 3,190 cannabis plants in various stages of growth. Drug-growing equipment was also discovered.
Police arrested five people at the scene. This included a 42-year-old man from Virginia, a 40-year-old man from Paralowie, a 44-year-old man from Salisbury North, and a 21-year-old man with no address.
They all appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where they are facing charges of cultivating cannabis in a large commercial quantity. All were denied bail.
Another 38-year-old man from Paralowie is facing charges of cultivating cannabis but will appear in court later in the year.
These raids were part of Operation Glasshouse, which is an ongoing operation targeting the cultivation of illegally-grown cannabis in South Australia. The operation is part of a state-wide crackdown on cannabis, which has resulted in police seizing over 20,000 cannabis plants in the last 12 months.
The majority of these plants were discovered in a historic raid in Buckland Park last month, which resulted in the seizure of over 10,000 plants. A similar raid in July 2020 yielded police 7,000 cannabis from an operation near Virginia.
According to South Australia police, Monday’s drug bust has uncovered a sophisticated operation that has been running for a long time.
Police will allege this was a continuous enterprise as the cannabis plants located were at various stages of maturity.
