FruityBud
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MORE than $18 million worth of cannabis crops have been seized in a series of aerial drug raids across NSW over the past five months, police said.
The haul had effectively wiped out a large percentage of the NSW summer crop, which would otherwise have now been on the streets of Sydney and NSW country towns.
But the increase in police aerial patrols since September last year had now forced dope growers, literally, into the hills.
Police fear crops would become harder to detect with growers moving to more rugged and inaccessible terrain, using sophisticated irrigation systems.
Police Minister Tony Kelly yesterday congratulated the state crime command drug squad's plantation unit for delivering what he described as a major dent in the cannabis industry.
"This past summer the pro-active work of NSW Police managed to put a huge dent in the illegal cannabis trade across the state," he said.
"During peak cannabis growing season the police pulled out thousands of plants, cutting into the sale of cannabis on the streets by attacking the source.
"This sends a clear message about police determination to attack the illegal drug trade at its foundations."
Mr Kelly said seven cannabis eradication programs were conducted from November last year to the end of March this year.
Regions targeted included Byron Bay, Richmond, Manning Great Lakes, mid-North Coast, Far South Coast, Coffs Harbour and the New England Area.
A total of 9645 cannabis plants were destroyed.
Police said 20 people were charged with either possessing or cultivating cannabis.
Mr Kelly said the state command's cannabis team was a formidable outfit with units including drug squad detectives, police air wing, dog squad, radio electronics unit and police from local area commands.
Since 2001, the cannabis eradication programs had resulted in the seizure and destruction of 100,536 plants, valued at more than $206 million.
hxxp://tinyurl.com/dcxp6p
The haul had effectively wiped out a large percentage of the NSW summer crop, which would otherwise have now been on the streets of Sydney and NSW country towns.
But the increase in police aerial patrols since September last year had now forced dope growers, literally, into the hills.
Police fear crops would become harder to detect with growers moving to more rugged and inaccessible terrain, using sophisticated irrigation systems.
Police Minister Tony Kelly yesterday congratulated the state crime command drug squad's plantation unit for delivering what he described as a major dent in the cannabis industry.
"This past summer the pro-active work of NSW Police managed to put a huge dent in the illegal cannabis trade across the state," he said.
"During peak cannabis growing season the police pulled out thousands of plants, cutting into the sale of cannabis on the streets by attacking the source.
"This sends a clear message about police determination to attack the illegal drug trade at its foundations."
Mr Kelly said seven cannabis eradication programs were conducted from November last year to the end of March this year.
Regions targeted included Byron Bay, Richmond, Manning Great Lakes, mid-North Coast, Far South Coast, Coffs Harbour and the New England Area.
A total of 9645 cannabis plants were destroyed.
Police said 20 people were charged with either possessing or cultivating cannabis.
Mr Kelly said the state command's cannabis team was a formidable outfit with units including drug squad detectives, police air wing, dog squad, radio electronics unit and police from local area commands.
Since 2001, the cannabis eradication programs had resulted in the seizure and destruction of 100,536 plants, valued at more than $206 million.
hxxp://tinyurl.com/dcxp6p
