Metro police weed out drug dealer
ROODEPOORT – A 48-year-old man was arrested for allegedly running a dagga hydroponic lab.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/05/NC21BPhydroponic_W_544835740.jpg)
Dagga with a street value of more than R1 million was found when police raided a hydroponic lab in the Roodepoort area Wednesday evening.
Law enforcement officers from the Roodepoort Police Canine Unit and the Metro Police’s Crime Prevention Unit arrested a 48-year-old man for the cultivating, dealing and possession of dagga and dagga plants.
The arrest came after police received information and then followed up, which led them to the residential property said to have looked like any other house and wouldn’t raise any suspicions.
According to spokesperson for Honeydew Cluster police Warrant Officer Karen Jacobs, the property was a highly sophisticated and organised operation with rooms being used for the various stages of the dagga plant cultivation and growing operation.
She added that the dagga produced at this hydroponic lab was of high quality.
The arrested male is believed to be part of a syndicate and more arrests are imminent. He is expected to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court soon.
Northsider understands that the hydroponic system was of high quality and cost about R100 000 to operate.
It is believed that the 48-year-old was a supplier to about 50 drug dealers.
Chairperson for Security in Practice Louis Grobler said this was a huge blow to the drug-using community.