Four foreign nationals have been charged after Victoria Police uncovered an alleged large-scale cannabis cultivation operation worth an estimated $10 million in the state’s north-west, in what authorities say is a major blow to organised crime networks.
Police raided a rural property at Milnes Bridge, between Kerang and Cohuna, on Tuesday, discovering 10 large greenhouses allegedly housing around 4,700 cannabis plants. The plants, weighing more than 2.5 tonnes, were at varying stages of maturity and are believed to have a street value of approximately $10 million.
Victoria Police said five men attempted to flee the property when officers arrived, with three allegedly trying to escape by swimming across a nearby irrigation channel. Four men, aged 39, 41 and two aged 51, were arrested at the scene, while another man remains on the run.
The arrested men, all foreign nationals, have been charged with cultivating and trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis. They appeared before Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and were remanded in custody, with the case set to return to court in May.
Acting Detective Inspector Matt Pascoe said the operation demonstrated police commitment to disrupting illegal drug operations and protecting the community. “Any time we’re able to remove significant quantities of illicit drugs from the streets is a win for community safety,” he said. “We know the cultivation and trafficking of drugs is what fuels organised crime groups.”
Investigators and forensic specialists spent three days dismantling the greenhouse operation. Police also seized electronic devices, CCTV equipment and items allegedly used to bypass electricity systems, suggesting a sophisticated setup designed to support commercial-scale production.
Authorities confirmed the cannabis plants would be destroyed after forensic examination, while investigations continue into the broader criminal network. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward as efforts continue to locate the fifth suspect and dismantle any associated organised crime activity.
The bust highlights ongoing concerns about organised criminal syndicates using rural properties to establish large-scale drug cultivation operations across regional Australia.
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