Gardaí combat surge in drug growing

Gardaí are fighting a national surge in large-scale production of homegrown drugs worth millions of euro annually.

New figures show that gardaí seized tens of thousands of cannabis plants in almost 600 operations last year.

Senior officers believe criminal gangs are behind an explosion in the cultivation of the drug. Senior gardaí have also expressed concern about the number of criminals involved in so-called grow houses around the country, usually in remote places to avoid detection.

Homegrown cultivation of cannabis has developed from a small-scale and relatively isolated phenomenon into a multimillion-euro industry — with one recent seizure worth €800,000.

However, grow-house operations are not confined to large, and often unused, industrial buildings.

On a smaller scale, residential properties have been converted and gardaí have succeeded in a number of court convictions against occupants.

Figures obtained from the gardaí show 26,531 cannabis plants were seized last year from 579 premises.

The grow-house phenomena also involves “minders” in large-scale operations living on-site during a near six-week process of planting and cultivation.

Cannabis seeds can be purchased over the internet, along with comprehensive advice on how to grow and to cultivate the plants.

Last week, a sophisticated grow house was discovered in a factory in East Cork. Gardaí seized 2,000 plants with an estimated street value of €800,000.

Only a few days earlier, firefighters attending a blaze in Skibbereen, Co Cork, discovered it was a grow house which contained plants worth over €200,000.

Last month, gardaí seized €500,000 worth of plants from an industrial unit in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Gardaí say there are a number of reasons why large-scale dealers are turning to developing grow houses. A substantial profit can be made in a short pace of time. With basic facilities — heating, lighting and watering — it can take just a few weeks to grow a seed into a mature plant which is worth €400.

Gardaí also suggest drug users are returning to cheaper cannabis as the recession has made it too expensive for many drug users to afford cocaine and heroin.

The closure of head shops is also reportedly a factor.

Furthermore, dealers are not exposed to the risks associated with importation.

Along with the large commercial operations, gardaí have discovered grow houses in residential properties where people are cultivating the drug to feed a personal habit.

Cannabis produced in a grow-house fashion is believed to be of a higher quality than much of the imported substances. However, according to medical experts, it also contains higher levels of the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which can cause psychosis.

Gardaí have mounted several operations to counter the grow house threat.

Last year, Operation Nitrogen led to raids on 60 grow houses and resulted in the seizure of plants with a street value of €6 million.

Some people have gone to elaborate lengths to disguise cannabis growing operations. One couple were caught cultivating cannabis in a prefab which was concealed by bales of hay inside a barn. The estimated €34,000 of cannabis plants were in various stages of growth. A court heard the couple had planned to use the cultivated plants to barter for other products.