Hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of cannabis is off the streets after a crackdown on rural crime across the south-west.
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Victoria Police western region division two Inspector Gary Coombes said a connection with agricultural partners had led to a number of raids across the south-west netting large quantities of cannabis and illegal firearms.
A 47-year-old Heywood man was this week remanded in custody after police uncovered six large cannabis plants, 24 cannabis seeds and dried plant weighting over two kilograms, as well as 30 high-powered lights believed to be used in a hydroponic grow-house.
A 56-year-old Dartmoor man was also arrested in an unrelated police raid that uncovered six mature cannabis plant and two illegal firearms.
Two Vietnamese nationals were last month charged in relation to $140,000 cannabis drying operation found in a central Hamilton home.
Earlier in March, a Warrnambool woman was busted with 20 grams of cannabis, drug paraphernalia and evidence of significant drug trafficking.
And two Vietnamese nationals were charged in relation to $140,000 cannabis drying operation found in a central Hamilton home.
The raids were part of Operation SouWest Forestry - a working group in the south-west focused on reporting rural crime that involves Department of Water, Environment, Land and Planning (DWELP), Parks Victoria and Game Management Authority.
Inspector Coombes said the operation connected local police with rural industries in order to address crime trends in the areas of farm, forestry and plantation.
"It is a new piece of work that has ended in warrants netting drugs as well as illegal firearms, so you can see the value of liaisons continuing to work with those community groups," he said.
"The grow house in Hamilton netted a significant amount of drugs and these sort of crimes are usually connected to larger, more broader drug syndicates that might be dabbling in other sorts of drug supply.
"We will continue to target people who are dealing drugs and hold them to account through the justice system."
Farm Crime Inspector Karl Curran said Operation SouWest Forestry was part of Victoria Police's ongoing focus on rural crime and illegal activity.
"Rural police stations across the Southern Grampians and Glenelg Shires will continue to respond to and investigate criminal incidents occurring on farms, forestry plantations, state parks and crown reserves," he said.
"The success of these investigations demonstrate the value in reporting these kinds of crimes. Victoria Police take these matters seriously due to the impacts on the victims and in this case, the environment and will have no hesitation holding offenders to account".
Inspector Curran said recent arrests in the south-west were a great example of local police being able to act decisively when information and evidence is provided to them.
"We continue to encourage all communities, especially those in rural areas and on farms, to report instances of theft or suspicious behaviour so that we can look into these incidents which may often be linked to similar offending elsewhere," he said.
"Local police are taking stock of rural crime in this area, but we need your help to reduce offending and solve investigations such as these."
If you are a victim of rural crime, please call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 and make a report.
Police urge anyone with drug-activity information to contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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