SIX Vietnamese nationals are behind bars accused of growing almost $22 million worth of cannabis plants near Narrabri.
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Bien Quy Tran, 35, Tu Van Pham, 45, Ngai Van Pham, 56, Dung Van Nguyen, 33, Nam Hoai Le, 28, all made no application for release in Armidale Local Court on Friday morning and were refused bail by magistrate Mark Richardson.
Kim Hey Jin, a 41-year-old woman, appeared briefly in Tamworth Local Court and said through an interpreter that she wanted to be released.
The court heard police inquiries into her visa status were ongoing, with the magistrate told there may be some "legality" issues.
Jin later withdrew any application for bail and was ordered into custody.
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All six are facing one charge of knowingly taking part in cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis - a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, if found guilty.
They will return to court again next week. Police have been ordered to compile a brief of evidence, to be served in the new year.
Dozens of officers combed the greenhouse and seized almost 11,000 of what they claim are cannabis plants after raiding the property on Killarney Gap Road at Rocky Creek in the early hours of Thursday.
Oxley police led the strike force, backed by the Western Region Enforcement Squad (WRES), the tactical operational squad, dog squad, OSG, forensic police and detectives and other officers, surrounding the property about 3am.
The five men and Jin were arrested on the property.
A senior Oxley police officer said it was believed to be one of the biggest cannabis crops uncovered in the district's history.
"It was a very elaborate set-up with a lot of planning," the officer said.
"Police will allege the drugs were headed for streets across NSW including regional areas."
The Leader understands part of the police case is that that alleged drug house was set-up on the remote farm to avoid detection by authorities, but police had been watching for three months.
"Investigations are continuing and further arrests could be made," the spokesperson said.
The crop was scheduled to be burnt at a secret location on Friday afternoon.
The raid - and huge multi-million-dollar seizure - is the culmination of a three-month investigation by a secret squad of police.
Code-named Strike Force Lyretrail, detectives, together with the WRES launched the operation in September after a tip-off about the cultivation of cannabis at a remote farm near Narrabri.
After months of secret investigations, officers moved on Thursday and uncovered 10,928 of what they claim is cannabis plants - some as two metres tall. Cannabis seeds were also discovered and seized, police said.
The Leader understands some of the plants are worth as much as $2000 each in street value.
Police will allege in court the plants have an estimated street value of $21.8 million.
Officers spent the day combing the property and said investigations are continuing into the haul.
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