A village manager discovered a resident had a substantial hydroponic marijuana farm in her village unit. The giveaway was the constant bright light being spotted under the front door at all hours.

When confronted the elderly woman readily admitted the production program, explaining she was financially strapped and was producing the ‘crop’ for her son who was liquidating it for them both.

The manager, we are told, carefully advised that she would have to report the resident to the police – there was no argument. 

In calling the police the manager laid down some guidelines. They were not to come in police cars, no sirens, no uniforms, just respect for the elderly resident. And that is how they arrived, took details and then departed.

Was the manager obligated to contact the police? We asked Bruce Herat, our colleague at Villages Legal Services. His advice:

“Whether or not there is a legal or moral obligation to report a potential offence to the police, there is an overriding obligation for a village manager to ensure the safety of residents; whether that arises from a fire risk or running a hydroponic lab for marijuana or the collateral dangers of a certain clientele that may visit the lab.”

In other words the manager made the correct decision. He also pointed out that in NSW under the Crime Act, “It is an offence to threaten to report an offence”. Just in case you needed to know.