Large Melbourne Grow-Op Busted

[luciddreaming]

http://www.theage.com.au/national/pregnant...90429-anif.html

 

 

Pregnant woman arrested in marijuana raid

 

* Steve Butcher

* April 30, 2009 - 11:39PM

 

A heavily pregnant woman, the father of the child, her father and her sister are among eight people arrested in Melbourne over an alleged international hydroponic marijuana syndicate.

 

Le Thoa Thi, 28, is accused of tending crops on a daily basis at four of nine houses allegedly used to cultivate commercial quantities of marijuana.

 

Police say raids this week in which about 1700 plants were found will result in seizures of cash and other assets worth about $10 million.

 

It is believed it will be one of the biggest single asset seizures in Victoria's history.

 

Detectives from the Casey criminal investigation unit claim the syndicate has transferred more than $2 million in drug proceeds to New Zealand and Vietnam.

 

A police summary tendered to Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday said the operation had identified 12 houses and a business involved in drug cultivation in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs.

 

"Nine of the houses have been identified as housing operating hydroponic cannabis growing systems involving transformers, lights, timers and water pumps," the summary said.

 

Investigators covertly executed seven search warrants at houses in Narre Warren and Narre Warren South over the past two months, which found each had four rooms established for marijuana cultivation.

 

When the four men and four women appeared late yesterday, prosecutor Katherine Elinzner said bail was not opposed for Thi, of Hallam, who appeared in the dock with her sister, Thu Thi Le, 31, and two other women, Yean Hai Tai Bui, 38, and Ngoc Han Dang, 22.

 

When Thi asked through an interpreter if her car could be returned to her so she could attend prenatal clinics, deputy chief magistrate Jelena Popovic was told police had seized it on suspicion it had been used in a crime.

 

Ms Popovic told the three women who she remanded, and the men - Thi's father Bien Dinh Le, 48, her partner Hai Tan Phan, 26, Quan An Vu, 27, and Linh Van Phan, 23 - that given the serious nature of the charges, each should present well-prepared and considered bail applications.

 

The defendants, who were remanded to appear in August, are charged with offences including conspiracy to traffic, cultivate and possess a large commercial quantity of marijuana.