06/05/2022
Police seized more than 34,000 cannabis plants and 79kg of dried cannabis with a combined street value of around $95 million during this summer’s aerial cannabis eradication operation.
The nationally coordinated operation was conducted across several regions of New Zealand as part of Police’s wider cannabis investigation and prevention operations.
The aim of the operation was squarely on commercial-scale cannabis growing and the organised crime groups behind them.
This was not about personal cannabis use or low-level offending.
There were 123 searches executed which resulted in 80 fi****ms being seized, showing the very concerning link between illicit fi****ms and drug dealing.
During the operation 81 offenders were spoken to by Police, mostly about cultivation of cannabis, possession for supply of cannabis, and fi****ms offences, and many warnings were issued for cultivation of small-scale plots.
There were 24 indoor commercial cannabis grows discovered and dismantled during the operation.
In addition to the cannabis, four kilograms of amphetamine and 19 grams of m**hamphetamine were seized.
Police will continue to focus on the distributors of more harmful drugs, such as m**hamphetamine and synthetics.
The primary focus of this operation was on cannabis eradication of large-scale growing operations from the air, in areas of New Zealand where we know they are likely to be, and at the same time ensuring we are deploying our resources where we can make the biggest impact.
Some investigations into those involved the cultivation of the seized cannabis are ongoing, and further arrests are expected in the coming weeks.
➡️ www.police.govt.nz/news/release/cannabis-m**h-and-fi****ms-seized-organised-crime-groups