By ALENA HIGGINS
NEW England police have smashed a large cannabis network, seizing more than $9.5 million worth of plants near Tenterfield last week.
The police AirWing helicopter assisted officers on the ground to uncover the haul, which was spread across rugged bushland.
“The operation was conducted in very difficult terrain and in areas hard to access around Tenterfield, Deepwater, Gibralter Range National Park, Red Range, Dundee and Glen Innes,“ New England MP Adam Marshall said.
“The co-ordinated effort between the helicopter and around 10 or our local officers, and outside technicians, on the ground was vital to the operation’s success.”
Officers raided the crop sites between Monday and Thursday last week and seized almost 5000 plants with a potential street value of more than $9.5 million.
The operation concluded on Friday when all plants seized were destroyed.
Mr Marshall showered praise on local police.
“Not only has last week’s operations smashed illegal drug activities in the region, it has prevented around $10 million from going into the pocket of drug barons, which is very good news,“ he said.
