{"id":322472,"date":"2022-08-08T17:14:13","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T07:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=322472"},"modified":"2022-08-10T20:12:03","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T10:12:03","slug":"seven-charged-after-40m-drug-raid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2022\/08\/08\/seven-charged-after-40m-drug-raid\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven Charged After $40m Drug Raid"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Police have charged seven men after more than 15,000 cannabis plants were located in greenhouses (Photo: QPS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 8, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

Police have charged seven men with drug offences and seized cannabis allegedly worth nearly $40 million after a drug raid on a Boondooma property.<\/p>\n

The seven men \u2013 aged 35, 36, 40, 41,\u00a0 42, 43 and 46 \u2013 were arrested on Friday, and remanded in custody.<\/p>\n

They will re-appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on August 16.<\/p>\n

The 6:00am raid was carried out by Toowoomba police with assistance from the Drug and Serious Crime Group and Proston police.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Detective Inspector Brad Phelps said it was one of the largest hydroponic cannabis production processes police had seen in Queensland.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He said investigations were continuing but it appeared the property had only been purchased about six months ago.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

Det Insp Phelps said police believed it was an “ethnic-based” organised crime gang with most profits from the operation sent overseas.<\/p>\n

Police have estimated the street value of the cannabis to be $39.9 million.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All men have been charged with one count each of producing and possessing a dangerous drug (cannabis).<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Police allegedly located about 200kg of processed cannabis in the Hyundai van.<\/p>\n

It will be alleged the cannabis was being transported from the Boondooma property.<\/p>\n

The spokesperson said all the cannabis plants seized as part of the investigation have been destroyed on site and the hydroponic equipment dismantled.<\/p>\n

Investigations are continuing.<\/p>\n

[UPDATED]<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Police searched multiple greenhouses on the Boondooma property (Photo: QPS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Equipment used to dry cannabis was also located at the property (Photo: QPS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Cannabis allegedly located in a Hyundai van pulled over by police on the Warrego Highway at Helidon (Photo: QPS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Raw video, supplied by QPS, of their raid on the property at Boondooma:<\/strong><\/p>\n