An estimated 60-million dollars worth of cannabis has been seized from two properties at Coonambula and Mount Maria.
Eleven people have been arrested across the two locations as part of Operation Victor Alon.
On Friday July 28, officers executed a search warrant at Coonambula.
It’s alleged 11 greenhouses were located measuring 50 metres in length and 9 metres in width.
The greenhouses contained 4,932 cannabis plants, ranging from seedlings to full maturity, along with dried and drying cannabis.
The cannabis seized at this property has an estimated value of $24.7 million.
Four people were taken into custody at the scene without incident, including a 30-year-old man, 55-year-old man and 38-year-old man, all from Victoria and a 41-year-old Avenell Heights man.
The have each been charged with one count of producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing anything used in the commission of crime and possessing anything for use in the commission of crime.
The four men were remanded in custody, for their matters to be heard before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on October 3.
The following day, a fifth man was taken into custody after arriving to the property in a vehicle allegedly carrying drug equipment and resources.
The 39-year-old Urangan man has been charged with producing dangerous drugs and possessing anything for use in the commission of crime.
He was remanded in custody, for his matter to be heard before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 24.
On Saturday July 29, officers executed a search warrant at a Mount Maria address.
They found 15 sophisticated hydroponic purpose-built greenhouses.
6,189 cannabis plants and 564.23kg of dried cannabis were located across the greenhouses, a shed and in a house on the property.
Police also found a significant amount of drug equipment and a small quantity of cocaine.
It will be alleged the cannabis seized has an estimated value of $35.3 million.
Upon police arrival, it will also be alleged six people working on the property ran from the scene into nearby scrub and bushland.
Police with assistance from dog squad searched the area and all six men were taken into custody.
They were treated for minor injuries sustained in the bushland.
A 45-year-old man and 48-year-old man, both from Victoria, along with a 28-year-old man, 30-year-old man, 38-year-old man, 26-year-old man, all from NSW, were arrested.
They have each been charged with two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing anything for use in the commission of a crime, possessing anything used in the commission of a crime and possessing drug utensils.
The 28-year-old man was remanded in custody and his matter is expected to be heard before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on August 17.
The other five men were also remanded in custody, with their matters expected to be heard before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on October 3.
Drug and Serious Crime Group State Drug Squad Detective Inspector Bradley Phelps says this is a significant seizure that received a great amount of assistance from the community.
“Information from the local community was vital in assisting us to investigate and successfully execute these warrants and seize cannabis with a combined value of $60 million,” he says.
“While Queensland Police Service has a number of investigative methods, information from the public is crucial in helping us disrupt alleged criminal activity.
“We thank everyone who has provided us information and urge anyone who may know something, no matter how small, to come forward.
Operation Victor Alon is a protracted investigative operation, targeting an alleged sophisticated criminal syndicate utilising isolated Queensland properties to produce commercial quantities of cannabis to allegedly distribute across Australia.
The investigation is ongoing.
