A seventh alleged member of an Albanian crime syndicate running cannabis grow houses in rental properties across Melbourne has been arrested in Noble Park.
Australian Federal Police officers arrested the 31-year-old Noble Park man during a raid of a property on Friday 28 October.
Police say they seized electronic devices, a phone and other items.
The man was charged with cannabis cultivation offences and faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that day.
According to police, he operated four crop houses in Melbourne under the direction of the criminal syndicate’s alleged leader.
AFP investigators have charged seven people, including a real estate agent and four from Greater Dandenong, as part of the Operation Ironside South-Valhalla.
Cannabis plants were seized from three alleged grow houses in Keysborough and one in Burwood East during AFP raids in June 2021 and August 2022.
“We allege the person arrested in Noble Park played a significant role in the Albanian criminal syndicate operating a network of illicit cannabis grow houses across Melbourne,” AFP’s Sergeant Glenn Tankard said.
The latest arrest was a reminder of the AFP’s commitment to “wiping out organised crime”.
“The AFP, together with our law enforcement partners will continue to target, identify and disrupt organised criminal syndicates.”
A 36-year-old Aspendale Gardens man, who is the alleged syndicate leader, was arrested on 2 August.
He was described by AFP as being “allegedly linked to known international Albanian organised crime identities”.
Police had allegedly seized an ANOM device, $270,000 and five designer watchers concealed in the roof of his home in June.
The 59-year-old male real estate agent, of Melbourne, allegedly coordinated at least four grow houses and identified at least two rental properties owned by overseas investors for the syndicate.
He was charged with supporting a criminal organization and bailed.
A 23-year-old Dandenong woman was charged with cultivating a marketable quantity of cannabis for a commercial purpose.
A 40-year-old Keysborough man and a 24-year-old Noble Park man, who are alleged syndicate members, were arrested and charged in 2021.
