More than $6 million of hydroponic cannabis has been seized and a Vietnamese crime syndicate busted wide open following a string of police raids across Perth's south east.
Police believe the hydroponic cannabis set up had the potential to produce $15 million worth of cannabis a year and will allege millions of dollars of electricity was illegally bypassed to power the operation.
Eleven people in total, most of whom are Vietnamese nationals, have been arrested and charged with a string of drug related offences as part of the police operation.
Some of those arrested were based in New South Wales but it will be alleged they were helping run the drug syndicate in Perth.
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The alleged syndicate leader is a 31-year-old man from NSW. He is facing 14 charges.
The operation, led by Armadale and Kensington Detectives, resulted in raids at 19 Perth properties between August last year and early February.
Homes in Maddington, Thornlie, Gosnells, Armadale, Byford, Cloverdale, Bentley and Riverton were among those to be searched.
Police found dozens and in some cases hundreds of cannabis plants at the homes. Cash was also seized and multiple kilos of cannabis material also found.
A warehouse in Canning Vale was also searched as part of the operation.
Hydroponic equipment, improvised power boards and chemicals valued at more than a quarter of million dollars were seized at the warehouse.
Fake drivers' licenses were also found in the raids.
Proceeds of Crime Squad officers have begun seizing assets in NSW linked to those arrested.
Investigators believe the drug syndicate was capable of producing about $15 million of cannabis per year.
The operation follows a similar series of raids in Perth's southern suburbs late last year which also targeted hydroponic cannabis rings.
In November, ten people were arrested as part of a joint operation involving WA Police, Australian Border Force and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
As part of that operation detectives executed 24 search warrants in the Rockingham area.
Approximately 1,500 cannabis plants and 30kg of cannabis material was seized in the raids, along with cash.
Many of those arrested were found to be living in Australia unlawfully.
WAtoday understands some of the 11 people arrested in the most recent operation were also unlawful non citizens.
Some have been referred to Border Force officers for further investigation.
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