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Instinct leads two NSW officers to $2.4m drug bust

Five men will appear in a NSW court after police officers uncovered around 1200 cannabis plants and associated material, worth an estimated $2.4 million.

It will be alleged two general duties officers on patrol in Port Kembla noticed “suspicious activity” at an industrial facility on Flinders Street around 2am on Friday.

Following their gut instinct, the officers went to investigate and allegedly discovered five men involved in a “sophisticated indoor cultivation process” with an estimated 570 plants inside.

The sophisticated drug set up found in NSW. Source: NSW Police
The sophisticated drug set up found in NSW. Source: NSW Police

The five men were arrested and taken to the Lake Illawarra Police Station.

It is also alleged approximately 110kg of cannabis leaf and a large amount of equipment was seized from the Flinders address.

The drug set-up. Source: NSW Police
The drug set-up. Source: NSW Police

New information led detectives to a second facility, this time on Doyle Avenue in Unanderra, where a similar drug operation was found.

According to NSW Police, a further 616 cannabis plants were found growing in the facility and were seized.

The electrical set-up. Source: NSW Police
The electrical set-up. Source: NSW Police

“I’ve never seen such a sophisticated hydroponic enterprise,” Superintendent Zoran Dzevlan said.

“These results were not achieved by chance, but as a result of the old-fashion instinctive traits that police officers have, together with dedicated and persistent police work.

“Importantly, this has resulted in almost two and a half million dollars in drugs being removed from our streets.”

Five men charged over 'sophisticated' drug set-up. Source: NSW Police
Five men charged over 'sophisticated' drug set-up. Source: NSW Police

The five men, aged 44, 41, 28, 24 and 24, were refused bail by police and will appear before the Wollongoing court on Saturday.

All five men have been charged with cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis.