Police have seized and destroyed $28 million worth of cannabis during the 2010/11 Cannabis Eradication Program which ended on the weekend.
Strike Force Unwin comprises detectives from the Drug Squad’s Cannabis Team, with assistance from the NSW Police Air Wing, Dog Unit and various Local Area Commands, including the Mid-North Coast.
Since early November, the strike force has been targeting crops throughout the State during the outdoor cannabis growing season which has now come to an end.
In that time they have raided crop sites within the Mid-North Coast as well as Richmond, Manning/Great Lakes, Coffs/Clarence, Tweed/Byron and the New England local area commands.
A total 13,987 cannabis plants with an estimated potential street value of $28 million were seized and destroyed after police used intelligence-based investigations plus aerial and ground searches to uncover the crops.
“Strike Force Unwin has been hugely successful thanks to the hard work of all the officers involved as well as the members of the community who report valuable information on drug crime to Crime Stoppers and their local police,” said Drug Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham.
“Preventing these drugs from hitting the streets is going to have an impact on the availability of cannabis in these areas and hopefully disrupt the supply chain.”
Investigations into those responsible for cultivating the plants is continuing and police have promised they’ll be back again for next season.
Anyone with information about the cultivation, manufacture or supply of prohibited drugs can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
