$500K of cannabis seized in 'elaborate, sophisticated' Dunlop growhouse bust

Police expect to lay charges soon over the "elaborate and well-organised cannabis growhouse" on the quiet suburban street, which they suspect is the work of an organised crime group.

ACT Policing's Detective Inspector Marcus Boorman said more than 200 plants had been seized.

"I would say this operation in this house alone would be worth in excess of half a million dollars," he said.

Detective Inspector Boorman would not be drawn on whether the operation was linked to bikie gangs, or if many people were suspected to be involved.

"This activity today is part of an ongoing crime investigation in relation to an organised criminal group in the ACT," he said.

"We believe it's all linked to the 43 kilograms of dried cannabis seized last month in Yarralumla, that had a a value of $300,000, and also the $150,000 cash we seized in Palmerston.

"Our activities today and in the past month put a significant dent in the illegal distribution of cannabis in the ACT."

Police spent hours bagging the plants on Thursday after making the find in the morning.

Specialist electricians were called in to tackle the elaborate set-up before police could collect most of the plants.

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Detective Inspector Boorman expected the growhouse had been operating for a "considerable amount of time".

"[The criminal group] would feel the impact of what we're doing," he said.

The drugs will be forensically examined and destroyed.

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