Police who busted a cannabis crop in Melton West say the western suburbs are a hub for the drug.
Senior Sergeant Trevor King said there was a market for cannabis across the state, particularly in the western suburbs.
“It’s easy to sell, but there are risks involved,” Senior Sergeant King said.
Melton police raided a Melton West property last month and found 120 high-quality plants.
A 27-year-old Footscray man and a 45-year-old Albanvale man were arrested and remanded in custody.
Electricity at the property was by- passed and the rooms had been modified to suit cannabis cultivation.
Police also seized a firearm and a small quantity of methamphetamine.
Senior Sergeant King said cultivating and using the drug posed several risks.
“People use power by-passes and there are a lot of risks with that and the fumes given off by cannabis during cultivation can be detrimental,” he said.
“The heat used to generate the power during the growing process poses a significant fire risk.”
He said many people were using rental or investment properties to grow cannabis, and he urged the community to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
“It’s difficult to tell [which houses are used to grow the plants], but generally those places don’t have regular attendees; there’s no real signs of life; windows and doors are closed and boarded up and there can be a strong smell from the place,” he said.
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