Eight people have been charged and cannabis plants – some of which are pictured above – worth more than $11.8 million seized following targeted investigations into the cultivation and supply of cannabis across the South West Sydney region.
The NSW Police Force South West Metropolitan Region covers a total area of 3645 square kilometres across nine Police Area Commands – Auburn, Bankstown, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown City, Campsie, Cumberland, Fairfield City and Liverpool City.
Throughout July 2019, officers from the nine commands conducted 25 search warrants at homes across the region as part of Operation Trident, a coordinated police response targeting mid-level organised crime and the cultivation and supply of cannabis.
During the searches, officers seized 3,742 cannabis plants, with an estimated potential street value of $11,835,000.
Significant events included:
- A search warrant at a home in Elderslie where police found a large scale hydroponic setup and seized 352 plants and equipment. A 41-year-old man was arrested and taken to Narellan Police Station where he was charged.
- On July 17 a general duties sergeant from Campbelltown City Police Area Command stopped a vehicle on Moorebank Avenue, Moorebank. The vehicle was searched with police seizing more than 18kg of cannabis head. Both men were arrested, and further inquiries revealed the driver was in the country illegally. The pair were taken to Campbelltown Police Station where they were charged. A search warrant at a home in Campbelltown resulted in 136 cannabis plants and equipment being seized.
- A 25-year-old man was arrested by officers from Liverpool City Police Area Command after attending a home in West Hoxton about 12.15pm on July 26. A large sophisticated hydroponic set up was located inside; equipment and 206 cannabis plants, with an estimated potential street value of $592,000, were seized. The man was charged.
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A man has been charged with multiple offences following a vehicle stop in Harrington Park on Wednesday night.
Camden Police Area Command officers were patrolling along Sir Warwick Fairfax Drive, Harrington Park, when they saw a red Holden Commodore utility allegedly commit a traffic offence.
Police stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver and sole occupant, a 45-year-old man.
Inquiries revealed the driver’s licence was suspended.
The 45-year-old Harrington Park man was arrested and taken to Camden Police Station where he was charged with driving and drugs offences.
He will appear at Campbelltown Local Court on August 20.
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A man has been charged over the alleged aggravated sexual and indecent assaults of two teenage girls at an out-of-home care facility.
In March of this year detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced Strike Force Bassi following reports two teenage girls – who are in care – had been sexually and indecently assaulted by a man known to them.
Following extensive investigations, detectives arrested a 43-year-old man at Campbelltown Police Station yesterday (August 1).
He was charged with 14 offences and police will allege in court that the man, who was employed as a security guard and carer at the facility, sexually abused one of the girls, then aged between 15 and 17, on multiple occasions between 2016 and 2019.
It will be further alleged he indecently assaulted the second girl, then aged 13, on two occasions in 2018.
The man was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court today. Investigations are continuing.
