>
Inside the elaborate underground bunker allegedly used to grow cannabis discovered during a dramatic police raid when two men are charged
- Two men charged after police raid underground bunker
- The property in Adelaide allegedly grew cannabis.
- Money and other drugs were also seized at the home.
Two men have been arrested after police discovered an elaborate underground bunker allegedly used to grow cannabis in south Adelaide.
Officers attended a semi-rural property in the suburb of Coromandel East on Monday, where they discovered the bunker entrance.
Once inside, police say they discovered a large amount of cash and drugs, including 18 hydroponically grown cannabis plants.
The entrance to the bunker on the property south of Adelaide was very well camouflaged.
The officers seized the cash and hydroponic equipment, along with around 680g of dried cannabis and approximately 35g of a white powder suspected to be cocaine.
A 53-year-old man and a 20-year-old man, both from Coromandel East, were arrested at the property.
They are charged with the crimes of cannabis cultivation, electricity theft, possession of prescribed equipment, cocaine and cannabis trafficking and money laundering.
The men were also charged with possession of firearms without a license after police found two gel guns in the bunker.
A large amount of cash was seized from the property.
Suspected other drugs were also seized during the raid of the bunker.
Gel blasters are designed to look like real firearms, but they only fire relatively harmless water-based pellets.
In South Australia, gel guns are subject to the same licensing, registration and safety conditions as other firearms.
“If you have a gel blaster, you have a firearm,” an SA police statement said.
Detective Superintendent Billy Thompson said illicit drugs cause untold harm to the community.
Weapons charges have been filed on two seized gel blasters, which under South African law are treated as firearms.
Police allegedly found 18 cannabis plants growing inside the bunker on the outskirts of Adelaide.
“This discovery of a hidden underground bunker illustrates the lengths to which those involved in organized crime go to try to hide their illegal activities,” he said.
The men have been denied bail and are due to appear at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.