More than 200 cannabis plants have been seized from a “sophisticated” drug operation south of Ballarat.

Police raided the Millar Court property at Nintingbool shortly before 8:00am today.

Sergeant Brett Robinson from the Divisional Response Unit said the hydroponic set-up was a commercial operation.

“We located a sophisticated cannabis grow-house system in the rear of the property,” he said.

Sergeant Robinson said taking into account the plants’ maturity, it was likely the operation had been there for some months.

“In excess of 220 plants have been seized along with a quantity of loose cultivated material,” he said.

“The plants were varying in ages, size and weight and some of them were quite close to the cultivation stage — the mature ones were good-quality plants.”

Search for suspects

No-one was present at the property when police arrived and the plants were found in two sheds behind the house.

“[It was] quite sophisticated, well set up and professionally maintained,” Sergeant Robinson said.

“There’s evidence people have been attending the house but there hasn’t been anyone living there at the moment.

“They [maintain] the upkeep of the house so it doesn’t attract any attention.”

The operation was part of an investigation into the manufacture and trafficking of drugs across Victoria that remains ongoing.

“Something of this size and sophistication would normally lead to some other involvement from outside of the area, but inquiries are still going on in relation to that,” Sergeant Robinson said.

Police have dismantled the operation and seized the illicit substances.

No arrests have been made in relation to the raids.

“We’ve got suspects but we’re trying to establish where they are at the moment,” Sergeant Robinson said.