Friday 25 November 2022 02:20 AM Flower-farming Aussie mum raided after accidentally growing illegal opium ... trends now
A flower-farming mum has been raided by a government drug squad who destroyed crops of prohibited poppies she unwittingly grew for weddings.
Kate Dixon, who runs Clifton Blooms near Hobart, received a call from the Tasmanian government when she proudly posted photos of her growing crops to her social media page.
Authorities immediately suspected some might be restricted poppies that, in the wrong hands, can be used to produce drugs like heroin and morphine.
Kate Dixon, who runs Clifton Blooms near Hobart, received a call from the Tasmanian government when she proudly posted photos of her growing crops to her social media account
After officers came to test her flowers, among them were confirmed to be prohibited Persian Poppies and Opium Poppies (pictured above)
After officers came to test Ms Dixon's flowers, among them were confirmed to be prohibited Persian Poppies and Opium Poppies.
Both varieties are heavily restricted and grown to produce morphine, thebaine, and codeine for use in prescription-only painkillers.
Ms Dixon, a mum to a young toddler who moved to Tasmania with her husband, had bought the pink seeds she bought from a registered Australian seed supplier, the ABC reported.
'I was growing them purely for weddings. I had absolutely no idea,' Ms Dixon, a commercial grower, said.
Ms Dixon cooperated with authorities who removed 50 plants from her property .
Ms Dixon claimed the poppies are
