POLICE BLITZ DENTS DRUG TRADE

Police say they have made a big dent in Northland's multimillion-dollar
drug trade during a two-week blitz.

Stolen property valued at more than $110,000 was found as well as loaded
firearms.

Operation Jack ended this week after a team of 20 police officers sprayed
or ripped out 29,034 plants around the region as part of a national
cannabis eradication programme.

The figure was well up on last year's tally of 26,232 plants, which were
destroyed over a rain-interrupted four-month period.

Only 17,000 cannabis plants were seized in Northland during the 2001 drug
recovery operation.

A fixed-wing plane was used this year in combination with a helicopter and
spray unit, ground crews in four-wheel-drive vehicles and three police dogs.

Cannabis was the prime target during the operation, but two methamphetamine
laboratories were discovered.

One alleged speed lab was in a garage, about 50m from State Highway 1, on
the northern outskirts of Kaitaia.

The other suspected lab was in a house at Donnellys Crossing, near
Dargaville, where police say they found chemicals and equipment used to
manufacture speed and cannabis oil.

Explosives and ammunition were also allegedly found at the property.

A $50,000 vehicle stolen from Auckland was found at a Kaitaia house during
a search, and a $30,000 boat, a $10,000 boat and a $3000 outboard motor
were alos recovered.

Two stolen quad bikes were seized from alleged cannabis growers at Kaitaia
and Kaikohe.

Forty-three people are scheduled to make court appearances over the next
few weeks on a variety of drug-related charges including manufacturing
methamphetamine, cultivation of cannabis for supply and receiving stolen
property.

Detective Sergeant Grant Smith, head of the Northland drug squad, said the
haul had made a major dent in Northland's multimillion-dollar drug scene.

The police team struck as crops were ready to harvest.

Some large commercial plots had about 1000 plants.

"I think a lot of people have realised the financial foundation they can
make from cannabis, which enables them to conduct other criminal
activities," said Mr Smith.

"They are realising there is still good money in it."

At an average of $1500 a plant, some commercial growers could have expected
to reap over $1.5 million from a plot.