Customs 'smash Largest Cannabis-growing Den Ever'

Customs officers said on Friday they have uncovered the city's largest cannabis-growing facility ever in an operation in which HK$70 million of suspected cannabis plants were seized.

The haul was made at a house in Yuen Long which was described as a cannabis-growing operation.

Authorities said it featured professional plant-growing equipment such as timers, nutrient solutions and machines that generate carbon dioxide.

A 47-year-old man who's said to be a tenant was arrested. Customs officers believed a syndicate was behind the operation, and said more arrests could be made.

Chan Siu-kau, acting superintendent of the department's drug investigation group, said they seized 465 kilos of suspected cannabis plants inside the three-storey house with a total area of 700 square feet.

They believed the operation had been running for three to four months.

And the plants were grouped according to their levels of maturity. "We observed that there's an area especially for drying cannabis flowers," he said.

Chan also said they found LPG cylinders inside the house, which officers believed were used to generate electricity.

"We believe this is to reduce the amount of electricity used to avoid suspicion," he said.

Officers believed the plants were not ready for harvest yet, and the seizure stopped drugs from entering the market.