August 8, 2022
Police have charged seven men with drug offences and seized cannabis allegedly worth nearly $40 million after a drug raid on a Boondooma property.
The seven men – aged 35, 36, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 46 – were arrested on Friday, and remanded in custody.
They will re-appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on August 16.
The 6:00am raid was carried out by Toowoomba police with assistance from the Drug and Serious Crime Group and Proston police.
A police spokesperson said the multiple large greenhouses on the former cattle station contained about 15,680 cannabis plants and 50kg of dried cannabis. Police also seized generators and hydroponic equipment.
Detective Inspector Brad Phelps said it was one of the largest hydroponic cannabis production processes police had seen in Queensland.
He said investigations were continuing but it appeared the property had only been purchased about six months ago.
“It would appear that this is part of a very large organised crime syndicate and this may be one tentacle of that syndicate,” Det Insp Phelps said.
Det Insp Phelps said police believed it was an “ethnic-based” organised crime gang with most profits from the operation sent overseas.
Police have estimated the street value of the cannabis to be $39.9 million.
All men have been charged with one count each of producing and possessing a dangerous drug (cannabis).
The search of the Boondooma property followed a police intercept of a vehicle about 4:30pm on July 18 on the Warrego Highway at Helidon travelling towards Brisbane.
Police allegedly located about 200kg of processed cannabis in the Hyundai van.
It will be alleged the cannabis was being transported from the Boondooma property.
The spokesperson said all the cannabis plants seized as part of the investigation have been destroyed on site and the hydroponic equipment dismantled.
Investigations are continuing.
[UPDATED]
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Raw video, supplied by QPS, of their raid on the property at Boondooma:
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Raw video, supplied by QPS, of a media conference held in Brisbane:
