Cannabis crops seized by Victoria Police have been left to rot in overcrowded rooms, sealed evidence has been mishandled, and officers have falsified reports to cover up the poor storage of thousands of items in police possession, such as guns, drugs and mobile phones.

The Age can reveal that a series of audits and internal reviews in recent years have found major problems in the way police manage sensitive property, placing staff at risk and exposing the force to potential corruption.

Audits have found Victoria Police is holding on to more property than it should, with no certainty that items are safe and secure. Credit:Leanne Pickett

Victoria Police's own figures show that it is currently storing almost half a million items across 200 sites, including police stations, ageing facilities, and the force’s Forensic Services Centre.

But much of the material – from drugs and firearms, to mobile phones and DNA samples – is not being disposed of quickly enough, with some stations so full they're overflowing and potentially unsafe.