$4m in cannabis crop seized

[OZ Stoners]

POLICE have seized and destroyed cannabis plants with an estimated street value of $4.2 millon in raids across northern NSW.

 

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[Oz]

Police seize more than $4 million worth of cannabis - Richmond LAC

Friday, 08 March 2013 01:38:13 PM

 

Police have seized more than $4 million worth of cannabis during the fifth round of the NSW Police Force’s 2012-2013 Cannabis Eradication Program.

 

The latest round of raids, which commenced on Sunday (3 March 2013) and concluded yesterday (Thursday 7 March 2013), focused on cannabis crops in the Richmond Local Area Command in northern NSW.

 

Officers seized plants from a number of locations, including Boorabee, Gradys Creek, Nimbin, Rapville and Tabulam.

In total, 2099 plants with an estimated street value of $4.2 million were seized and destroyed by police.

 

As a result of the raids, two people have been charged with drug-related offences and issued with court attendance notices. More people are expected to be charged in the coming weeks.

This week’s raids follow recent operations in the Coffs/Clarence, New England, Mid North Coast and Tweed/Byron Local Area Commands.

Commander of the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad, Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham, said the program, which has been running since the mid 1980s, had prevented more than $240 million worth of cannabis reaching NSW streets.

“The ultimate goal of the Cannabis Eradication Program is to reduce the drug’s availability on our streets,” Detective Superintendent Bingham said.

 

“For more than two decades, the program has proven to be extremely successful and we will continue to raid, seize and destroy cannabis crops in the months ahead.”

Detective Superintendent Bingham added that if it weren’t for the assistance police received from the community, the program would not have achieved the results it has to date.

“In addition to the highly skilled officers and cutting-edge technology we have at our disposal, the information and intelligence we get from the community is invaluable,” Detective Superintendent Bingham said.

 

“If you have any information regarding cannabis crops, no matter how seemingly insignificant, please let us know via Crime Stoppers."

 

“Information can be provided anonymously and will be treated in the strictest of confidence.”

 

The NSW Police Force’s Cannabis Eradication Program is run annually and involves officers from the SCC Drug Squad, the Dog Unit, the Aviation Support Branch (ASB), Metropolitan Radio Network Services and numerous Local Area Commands throughout the state.

 

Richmond Local Area Commander, Superintendent Greg Martin, thanked local residents, businesses and the specialist police squads for their support.

“Over the last week, local police, local community members and our specialist colleagues in the Drug Squad, Dog Squad and ASB, have worked hard to destroy local cannabis crops,” Superintendent Martin said.

“We are committed to our ongoing battle with the illegal drug trade and will continue to do everything we can to find and seize drugs before they are distributed into the wider community.”

Anyone with information on illicit drug supply should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/. Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.