MORE CANNABIS UNCOVERED

Cannabis plants with a potential street value of up to $3 million have been
destroyed by Marlborough police in their annual drug recovery operation.

More than 3000 cannabis plants were found during the operation, which led
to more than 15 arrests for cannabis cultivation and possession, police said.

Senior sergeant Tony Sampson of Picton police said acting on information
gathered over the previous months a number of growing operations were
uncovered throughout Marlborough.

The drug operation involved around 20 police and support staff, a
helicopter, dogs trained in drug detection work and numerous vehicles, Mr
Sampson said.

The operation also uncovered 13kg of dried cannabis.

The value of the cannabis reaching the market varied, depending on the
quality of the plants, Mr Sampson said. The bigger the plant, the more
valuable it is, with the flower heads of the female plants the parts most
sought by smokers.

Full grown plants could fetch anything from $500 to $1000 once it was sold
on the street in deal bag quantities.

"The bottom line is that people who do this are not growing it for their
own use. They are growing it for distribution, through schools, hotels and
houses. There is a large underground economy involved with the sale of
cannabis," he said.

Some of the plots were found on bush-covered hillsides in the Marlborough
Sounds that were only accessible by boat. Many had been discovered by
members of the public as they were out tramping or hunting, Mr Sampson said.