The money munchies
Cops say pot growers have insatiable appetite for dollars
SECRET cannabis crops are growing out of control on public land as money-hungry producers attempt to avoid detection by police.
Last week almost 700 pot plants, up to 10ft tall, were seized by police in Northern NSW as part of a large-scale drug bust.
Six people were charged with cultivating the drugs that together had a street value of $1.3 million and police are expected to make more arrests and seizures in the coming weeks.
Tweed Byron Local Area Command Detective Inspector Brendon Cullen said the police helicopter was used to detect the plants, which were disguised in separate crops in national park between Murwillumbah and Lennox Head.
“A lot was on crown land and public land but in inaccessible areas,” the area command crime manager said.
“That’s why we use the chopper to identify those areas that are not readily accessible by the public.
“For (the growers) it’s all about mitigating the risk and there is a degree of anonymity using crown land and public land, as these people are not using available space on their properties.”
Six men, aged between 36 and 66 were last week charged with cannabis cultivation offences.
Detective Inspector Cullen said there was no allegation DETECTIVE INSPECTOR BRENDON CULLEN
the men were involved in an organised crime syndicate peddling the cannabis.
“By and large these are individuals or a couple of individuals who seek to make profit out of other people’s misery,” he said.
“It is a very sort of individual type of operation where people are tending to those plants, fertilising and watering them.
“It’s not some major indoor enhanced-type cultivation but where there is a dollar to be made there will be people wanting to make that dollar.”
The Tweed Heads Police Station crime boss said the seizures was “very significant”.
“When you see some of the plants they were 10-12ft high and all leaf and buds — they’re not just small plants,” Detective Inspector Cullen said. “Some people regard cannabis as being a harmless drug but we see its harmful effects and how it destroys people’s lives. It has an impact on the mental health of many people. This seizure is significant and it’s an ongoing task, where we expect there will be more charges.”
State Crime Command, the Drug Squad, aviation support team and 15 officers from Tweed Heads were involved in last week’s operation.
In December, police also seized about $1 million of hydroponically-grown cannabis from a residential property at Commissioners Creek.
BY AND LARGE THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS OR A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SEEK TO MAKE PROFIT OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE’S MISERY