Raids net $1m drug haul

[Oz]

Six alleged marijuana growers have been charged with trafficking after a $1 million North-East indian hemp drug bust.

 

Two separate raids, one last Friday, the other Tuesday this week, were made near Gladstone as part of Launceston CIB drug squad's long-range Operation Nobble.

 

The 600 mature cannabis plants, some up to 2.5m high, were unloaded from a rental truck at Launceston police station yesterday morning by a Northern Drug Investigation Services task force.

 

The drugs will be destroyed after identification by a government analyst.

 

During the raid, drug squad detectives located nine separate compounds of marijuana near Gladstone with a street value of $1 million. Seven of the compounds were located last Friday and two on Tuesday.

 

Friday's crops were on Crown land and Tuesday's haul on Crown and private land.

 

"They were within 8km of each other," Launceston CIB drug squad Det-Insp. Mike Fogarty said yesterday.

 

He said the plants were well tended. "The set-ups were elaborate with sophisticated watering systems and electric fences," Det-Insp. Fogarty said.

 

Nine detectives took part in the raids which involved lengthy "stake-outs" in North- East bush.

 

Those charged after last Friday's raid were Douglas Ian Bingley, 49, and Leonie May Bingley, 48, both of John St, Bridport, and Stephen Robert McDermott, 48, of Cape Portland Rd, Gladstone.

 

All three accused have been bailed to appear in court again on April 14.

 

Charged after Tuesday's raid were Ricky Mark Gardiner, 29, of Mellor St, Queenstown, who has been bailed to appear on April 14, and Leo Antonio Michieletto, 43, of Baxters Rd, Pipers River, and Cassie Lee Barry, 22, of Collins St, Queenstown, both of whom are bailed to appear in court on April 21.

 

Det-Insp. Fogarty said that the drug squad was still making inquiries in the Gladstone area.

 

"We are continuing our investigations, we are certainly very active," he said.

 

By Martin Stevenson

Source: The Examiner

[Guest Wilderbud]

Ouch @ 'after tests are done'.

[Guest Guest]

hush hush folks

[crud]

i'd like to hear some of the sentences handed down to the people that have been busted lately.

[TUGBOAT]

hush hush folks

What??

 

BTW I thought guests weren't able to post

[sonicnature]

I know Ricky and Cassie.

[white_cluster]

I know Ricky and Cassie

 

WOW whats the point?

[free choice]

I have .... a cunning plan ............

 

sow MJ seeds all over the fucking country side everywhere & overgrow the bastards ..... run'em off their feet.....exhaust their ability to cope .. trying to keep up with the millions & millions of dope plants .... from the high hills to the sea shore ... Plant Fucking dope plants everywhere ...

 

EVERYWHERE ...

 

this stupid dope war , will be won & overrun by mother nature peoples...

let it grow wild & FREE .....

 

if these idiots won't quit the stupid drug WAR ...

they can take on NATURE & lose for ever...

FUCK'EM ... FUCK'EM ... FUCK'EM

& OVER GROW THE LOT ......

[Luke Skywalker]

Uh, when did we not have that already? Most people can get pot easier and quicker than they can get alcohol, so what's the difference. ::

 

And besides, don't you think that would be rather irresponsible? To destroy native vegetation and environments en masse just to plant MJ? There wouldn't be any sinse either, unless you grew in a hermetically sealed room....