Syndicates farm out drug production

[boulder]

Professional illegal drug syndicates are operating in the Territory, police say.

 

One of the Territory's drug squad officers told a meeting of visiting crime delegates that there were "definitely" drug syndicates at work in the NT.

 

The officer's name can not be revealed because it may compromise him operationally. He said the syndicates were usually headed by one major player who recruited friends and acquaintances to grow one or two marijuana plants each.

 

Under Territory law anyone caught with just one or two marijuana plants can be dealt with by way of a Drug Infringement Notice.

 

A network of growers could produce drugs worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

For one person to grow the same amount of marijuana would leave them open to court prosecution and a possible lengthy jail term.

 

The drug squad officer said the syndicate head supplies each of his recruits with all the hydroponic gear and expert advice needed to produce top quality marijuana.

 

The drug squad officer said the syndicate head continued to have a hands-on role in the operation -- organising expert croppers to harvest the lucrative crop when the plants hit maturity.

 

The growers would then be paid in the form of a cut of the profits from the sale of the drug crop or as a share of the crop itself.

 

"There's definitely syndicates up here at work doing that stuff -- definitely," the officer said.

 

"It's a very big industry up here -- hydroponics.

 

"If you syndicate it right -- you can spread the risk to other people and you, as the head of the syndicate, can distance yourself from it."

 

Northern Territory News

[Guest Guest]

Why would anyone do that?...I mean to make any money they would have to sell it for a shit load...silly leo's...

[Ferre]

The officer's name can not be revealed because it may compromise him operationally. He said the syndicates were usually headed by one major player who recruited friends and acquaintances to grow one or two marijuana plants each.

 

This police dude is pathetic. one or two plants? The officers name can't be revealed becouse every one would know who that dumbass is.Wooohahahaha!