Seven men will appear in Dubbo Local Court today after being arrested in relation to the discovery of another cannabis crop in the area - the third in just six weeks.
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Up to 20 officers from the Orana local area command joined 20 State Crime Command officers, forensic officers and police from the Mudgee local area command in a pre-dawn raid on the Balladoran property.
The men, aged from 25 to their mid-50s, were arrested shortly after 6am on the property 'Heatherbrae' on Donnelly's Road, 50 kilometres north of Dubbo.
Between 3000 and 4000 plants were discovered at the property, with an estimated street value of up to $7 million.
The plants ranged in size from 1.5 metres to two metres in height and were described by police as being "very healthy".
Each plant was individually irrigated and mulched with the base wrapped in black plastic.
The property has been under intensive surveillance for some weeks and police believe it is linked to other cannabis crops found recently in the area.
Operation Ellwood marked the third major drug bust in the western region in the past six weeks.
From the front gate of the property a country-style cottage could be seen backed by a dense tree line.
High-ranking Dubbo police took part in the operation including Orana crime manager Detective Inspector Michael Willing, Orana local area commander Superintendent Ian Lovell and a number of detectives.
Mr Lovell said it was believed this cannabis bust was part of an organised crime racket.
"This is part of a larger group of cannabis crops found recently in the western region and it has links to other properties we've visited," he said.
"Farms of these sizes seem to be being used for crops in this area - this was a big business operation."
Detective Inspector Willing said the drug set-up had been "pretty sophisticated".
"The crop was well hidden in dense scrub and was fenced off," he said.
"It was very well cared for and these plants were very healthy and ready for harvest."
He added the people arrested on the property were likely to be workers.
"That's way it has been done in other crops we've seen - these workers are paid a pittance while the principals profit from the enterprise," he said.
In the past six weeks police have netted in excess of $80 million worth of cannabis in the western area, with drug busts at Mendooran, Tullamore and now Balladoran.
In the past 12 months, Dubbo police also uncovered a crop worth $30 million on Days Road.
