Dagga joints 'smoked'

A family has allegedly been running a massive, carefully hidden, internationally linked hydroponic dagga enterprise in Gauteng.

Yesterday police confiscated dagga seeds and plants worth about R5-million and seized luxury cars and quad bikes at several farms and houses where sophisticated techniques were used to produce the dagga for export.

Using underground bunkers, the family has allegedly been running a multimillion-rand operation from within metres of one of the most secure national key points, the Pelindaba nuclear facility, near Hartbeespoort Dam in North West.

Yesterday, Special Task Force members in an armoured vehicle rammed open the gates of a multi-storey mansion in Bryanston, Johannesburg.

The house was one of 13 raided in Bryanston, Sandton and Krugersdorp.

The international arm of the syndicate was apparently operating from the mansion.

Police seized computers and documents allegedly outlining the gang's international links and markets.

Dozens of heavily armed Hawks and Crime Intelligence officers stormed three farms in Hartbeespoort and nearby Hekpoort.

The farms - kilometres apart and disguised as disused nurseries - were meticulously set up, each with its own power and water supplies, guaranteeing non-stop operation.

Police, who began tracking the syndicate nine months ago, discovered camouflaged trapdoors leading to underground storage facilities on the farms, along with specially designed growing rooms equipped with sprinklers and heating.

Narcotics and forensics officers specialising in hydroponic dagga investigations spent hours trawling through the industrial-scale facilities.

"It is one of the biggest hydroponic operations we have come across. It is a true masterpiece," said one officer.

"The facilities are unique, especially the setup of the underground facilities. Anything and everything that you can think of that you would need to grow hydroponic dagga of this nature is right here."

Hydroponic growing is a technique used to grow plants indoors during winter. Artificial light is used to promote photosynthesis.

Police found specialised horticultural equipment needed for growing seeds and plants, some of which has never been seen on the market.

"From what we have heard, the potency of these plants is immense. The demand, especially for this dagga, is huge," the officer said.

Confiscated documents showed that the gang was selling the dagga overseas for between R70000 and R90000 a kilogram, he said.

"They were making millions from this operation." For hours police photographed and documented growing "recipes", seizing files containing information on things such as chemical formulas and growth techniques, before loading tons of equipment onto several flat-bed trucks along with more than 5000 plants, seedlings and seeds.

Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko said 11 people, including a mother and father, their three sons, the men's wives and several of their friends, were arrested for operating one of the country's most sophisticated hydroponic dagga facilities. He said during the raid three hydroponic laboratories were uncovered, along with specialised processing equipment and R200 000 in cash.

"We received information from several informants and monitored the farms for some time before we carried out the raids.

"We are now investigating the syndicate's international links, including things such as smuggling routes and destination points."

Ramaloko said the 11 would appear soon in the Johannesburg, Pretoria and Krugersdorp magistrate's courts on charges of manufacturing and dealing in narcotics. By late last night police were still carrying out raids on other farms.