Another south-west cannabis grow house discovered, this time in Portland

Cannabis grow house operations have been busted in Warrnambool, Hamilton, Horsham and at the weekend in Portland.

South-west police crime investigation units commander Senior Sergeant Chris Asenjo said information from the public was crucial in locating the grow houses.

"Regional Victoria is becoming far more attractive to people involved in the cultivation of cannabis," he said.

"Due to housing density and the cost of houses it's clear that regional areas are hosting these highly illegal operations.

"There may also be the perception that the police presence is less in more regional areas."

Senior Sergeant Asenjo said the one advantage regional areas had over the city was that generally people were very aware what was going on in their neighbourhood.

"We can't do our work, particularly in relation to cannabis grow houses, without that vital piece of information from members of the public," he said.

"It could be something as simple as a bin not being put out regularly from that house.

"That there are no lights on, people living there do not engage with the community, homes appearing vacant and there are cars coming and going at different hours."

"The seizures during the past few months show that when we have that intelligence we will investigate, find and dismantle these crop houses.

"If people are aware that there is something different about that house in their street then contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 100 3333 000.

"That information from the public is tremendous and none of us want that sort of thing criminal operations happening in our street."

Warrnambool crime investigation unit Sergeant Andrew Raven said late last year a crop house was located in Warrnambool's Sundale Road.

He said the neighbours knew that something was very different about the address.

"It was so quiet it was a bit suspicious," he said.

"There were no lights on at night, the home appeared to be boarded up and there were not a lot of people coming or going.

"What we want is when residents feel there is something not right about a house they let us know."

There were 262 cannabis plants with a potential street value of almost $800,000 seized at the north Warrnambool home.

A search warrant was executed and cannabis plants were found in the front lounge room which led to Powercor and Wannon Water officials being called in to assist.

The plants ranged in size from seedlings to mature.

Detective Sergeant Elissa Smith said it was a highly sophisticated hydroponic set-up, involving a large number of high-powered lights, 180 transformers, as well as a watering and nutrient system.

The operation was in every room except the kitchen and one bedroom.

Last month two Vietnamese nationals were charged in relation to a $140,000 cannabis drying operation found in a central Hamilton home.

Police searched a George Street address and found about 10 kilograms of cannabis in a rear bedroom, as well as extraction fans and a drying table.

That bust led to another 280 cannabis plants valued at more than $500,000 being found in a home in a Horsham residential street.

CCTV footage from the Horsham address was streamed to one of the accused men's phone.

At the weekend more than 250 cannabis plants worth in excess of $500,000 were seized at a south Portland house.

Portland and Hamilton police detectives raided the property at 7.30pm on Saturday, uncovering the grow house.

Detective Senior Constable Jarrod Anderson said the house was unfurnished and an electrical bypass system had been installed.

"This was a very sophisticated, commercial set up," he said.

A 37-year-old Vietnamese national was arrested at the property.

Read more:

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.