Multi-million Doncaster home ripped apart to grow cannabis crop

Thomas O’Byrne

The owners of a Doncaster house, living in the US, were astounded to find a grow house had been contructed in their property while they were away. Picture: Kris Reichl

 

DRUG dealers are covertly moving into quiet suburban streets of Manningham and setting up major manufacturing operations.

About five drug houses are uncovered in Manningham each month, police have revealed, with those responsible often leaving behind a trail of destruction.

A Doncaster couple had the interior of their multi-million dollar home ripped apart and converted into a crop house for marijuana.
“You feel violated, as if a burglar had stolen precious things and trashed everything else,” the owner, who did not want to be named, said.

The damage to the home was extensive, with the house littered with cut wires, chemicals and tools.

Holes had been carved through walls to create air channels and doors and windows covered with plastic sheets to prevent people from peeping in.

Just some of the damage drug dealers inflicted on the Doncaster home.

The owner, who had engaged a real estate agent to rent the home while he and his wife travelled overseas, said police had raided the property after his alert neighbours noticed the tenant’s suspicious’ behaviour.

“We were reeling in shock, as were our next door neighbours, who couldn’t believe this was going on under their nose,” he said.

The real estate agency who was managing the property, which was rented for $950, declined to comment on the case.

No arrests have been made.

Manningham detective Senior Constable Chris Michael said the owner’s circumstances were not isolated and warned people to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour.

Tenants rarely attending their home and continually leaving lights on were among the signs of criminal behaviour, Sen-Constable Michael said.

Sen-Constable Michael said offenders would often use fake IDs when signing up to lease agreements and had often fled by the time authorities caught wind of their activities.

Supreme Court documents show one syndicate involved in a “large-scale” cannabis operation setup one of their crop houses in Bulleen.

Almost 250kg of marijuana was uncovered when police raided several properties linked to the syndicate.
One woman police allege was involved in the syndicate’s operations, Hang Cao, lived a luxurious lifestyle with numerous designer handbags, expensive alcohol and about 30 mobile phones.

Ms Cao will return to court in October.