Nationwide, police seized 281kg of cannabis plant material during the first six months of 2012, with police in the Southern district recording the largest amount seized: 54kg with an estimated street value of more than $1 million.
Detective Inspector Steve McGregor said most of the cannabis was seized in two significant police operations and was all "dried, sellable plant material". It had now been destroyed.
"It is lot of cannabis to have off the street."
By disrupting the major suppliers of cannabis, Southern district police were now expecting a "significant drop-off" in the cannabis trade, and difficulties for anyone wanting to re-enter the market.
"Our next objective is to stop that happening," he said.
Typically, a cannabis grower would sell to pound dealers who they trusted, and "after that it goes down to the ounce dealer, who sells to anyone who knocks on the door".
"Sometimes, you simply can't do anything than go for the low-hanging fruit because you have good information, and you need to act upon it to stop those tinny houses," Det Insp McGregor said.
Despite party drug-related offending in the Queenstown area and the methamphetamine trade linked to North Island sellers, cannabis remained "the drug of choice in Southern".
Police National Headquarters covert operations manager Detective Inspector Paul Berry said as a result of the nationwide cannabis operation, 130,000 cannabis plants had also been seized, with police making 2573 arrests.
Fewer search warrants and arrests, coupled with a large amount of plant material seized showed Southern district police had focused on the "high end" of the cannabis trade, he said.
He dismissed a request from Norml New Zealand, calling on all the 2500 people charged to enter a not-guilty plea or a no-plea at every court appearance to clog the court system.
"They need to get on with life," he said. "The selling and growing of commercial quantities of cannabis is illegal and will always be illegal and I think they need to move on.
"Their suggestion is ludicrous."
Police were not targeting people who smoked joints or bought tinnies, but were actively targeting the drug dealing houses, dealers, and growers "to make it as uncomfortable as possible for them".
"Your chances of getting identified and arrested are high," Det Insp Berry said.
"This is a mug's game to be in and the short-term win is not going to outweigh the long-term jail time, loss of your house/car, the cleaning out of your bank account and the State seizing your assets ... it is a mug's game."
Cash and assets restrained under the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act included 14 residential properties (worth an estimated $4.6 million), nine cars (worth about $260,000), nine bank accounts (worth $353,000), $675,533 in cash seized from drug houses, a boat worth an estimated $40,000 and bonus bonds and shares worth about $22,000.
In addition to seizing and destroying $5.6 million of dried cannabis, and $130 million of cannabis plants, police recovered 1.4kg of methamphetamine, 321 LSD tabs and 4150 ecstasy pills. Also seized were 327 firearms.
Police Minister Anne Tolley said that sent "a powerful message to criminals that drugs and drug dealers will not be tolerated in our communities".
"By targeting the source, the supply chain, and the proceeds of crime, organised criminals have been hit hard."
