Going bush in the hunt for cannabis criminals

[Allotropy]

http://www.dailytele...i-1226284438235

 

 

OUTDOOR cannabis cultivation is becoming high-tech as criminals use hydroponic methods to boost yields for the cash crop.

Criminals are now growing the crops in smaller numbers and are scattering them across the state's forests to reduce detection, compared to a decade ago when they were grown in the thousands.

The new methods are not outsmarting the NSW Drug Squad, who are using local police intelligence and helicopters to locate million of dollars of illegal plants hidden in steep terrain across the state.

The cannabis eradication team set out this week to remote locations west and north of Coffs Harbour as part of its annual program to cripple supply and take drugs off the street.

Is the war on cannabis worth it? Tell us below

During their blitz, police are also taking soil and cannabis bud samples to test the potency of outdoor versus hydroponic plants.

 

To find the crops officers must tackle rugged bush crawling with leeches, ticks and snakes in humid and wet conditions.

Some cannabis set-ups have electric fences and traps to keep animals out, while others have sophisticated irrigation systems and are well maintained.

So far - in day three of the five-day program - police have found more than 2000 plants in various locations on the Mid North Coast, worth around $4 million.

"It's been a hard slog but we are very happy," Drug Squad commander Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham said.

"We classify it as a successful operation, which will hopefully disrupt the supply in northern NSW. Most plants were well over 2m, which is a lot of cannabis that has been taken off the streets."

In the last decade, Supt Bingham said his teams had seized more than 125,000 plants with a street value of $230 million.

"We want criminals to know we are out there, in both overt and covert operations, and to think twice about planting illegal crops," he said.

Supt Bingham said that this year his teams had taken soil samples, which they put with buds from the respective plants for a cannabis potency study being conducted by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

With a hydroponic plant over 1m tall selling for around $5000 and the same height but grown outdoors selling for $2000, Supt Bingham said researchers wanted to test the THC in the different growing methods to determine the potency and affects on health.

"If the research shows exactly how potent it is, it may lead to better education of users about the dangers of smoking marijuana," Supt Bingham said.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Anthesis

[Cactus Jack]

If the research shows exactly how potent it is, it may lead to better education of users about the dangers of smoking marijuana

 

What an idiot, we want to smoke the potent stuff, it gets you higher. Duh.

 

-BANG BANG!

[KRON BOURKE]

good goin, push these syndicates inside, while in the meantime the street price goes up increasing the profits of criminals....well done....how bout doin a little research on the benefits? maybe try to help sum ppl instead of ruining farmer joes day. Taking away a mans freedom for trying to profit on a black market you yaself encourage is far from a rational measure. Maybe you yaself could do with a little education mr bingham? Also bingham, I need you help to end the war on peanuts, yes you read correctly mate, peanuts kill more people annually than cannabis has ever in the records of history.

So please please please nsw police force, we gotta save those poor addicted elephants before its too late!!! The many forms of peanut about is astounding, roasted, salted, unsalted, butters, smooth, crunchy and even to my amazement supercrunchy for the hardcore!!! We must end this war on peanuts before its too late!!!!

 

So there ya have it, if you really do believe that your doin the right thing and are genuine about helping society and 'saving lives', change the laws, get back out there on ya high horse and get thems peanuts mate, they're killing ppl while you sleep!

[Naycha]

[brick]

Be vewy vewy quiet. I'm hunting cwannabis.

 

Got to get me one of those tee shirts.

 

Wonder what he is writing. 10 plants for sgt jonesy, 10 plants for me, 50 for nick. damn i forgot my ipod. whats for lunch?

[The Hash Nibbler]

Quote" To find the crops officers must tackle rugged bush crawling with leeches, ticks and snakes in humid and wet conditions. " Unquote.

 

Bloody good then, I'm gonna start growing more leeches, ticks and snakes then.....especially ticks........ anything I can do to be of assistance Orrificer =) .

 

How many old lady bashings, domestic violence attacks, and street assaults could you have stopped while spending MILLIONS of tax payers money, so you can crawl round the hills on a hiking holiday playing hero?

 

Viva La Cannabis!!! Nibbler.

[louise]

Great news, they are going to take a few soil and bud samples and use it to say this proves hydro makes weed evil. Fucking wankers.

[brick]

Well hn they are amongst friends out there. Especially the leeches. Blood sucking parasites.

[sargentscraps]

fuckn cretins, great work. You stopped a few people hanging out and having a blaze! Well done! pat your self on the back while there's guys cooking methamphetamine with drain cleaner feeding it to your kids you fucking idiots. Do something productive with your time.

[Naycha]

Meanwhile armed robberies going on all over the place http://www.coffscoas...-coffs-harbour/

 

Would rather time was spent investigating serious crime.