Southern police say they are optimistic of arresting the growers of more than $100,000 worth of cannabis seized in crops dotted around the Southern Lakes.
Six police officers from Dunedin police and three from Queenstown acted on tip-offs from the public to target areas known to be used by cannabis growers using an Air Force Iroquois helicopter.
Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis, of the Dunedin based Southern District Organised Crime Squad, said officers removed "several hundred" plants from more than 10 crops around Queenstown, Arthur's Point, Arrowtown, Wanaka, Glenorchy, Te Anau and western Southland.
Each plant of cannabis was valued between $500 to $1000 to sellers.
Officers were winched to the ground and took care when removing the plants as some growers booby trap their crops and leave cyanide to kill pests.
Det Snr Sgt Inglis said the size of the haul was average, but the aim of the latest operation was to stop the drug hitting the streets.
"We are optimistic we will get some arrests down the track," he said.
"We're seeing more and more cannabis floating into the schools and younger community and we're trying to prevent that.
"Cannabis has changed a lot over the years, it's become a lot stronger. Back in the 1950s and 1960s it was like drinking a beer, now it's like drinking whisky, the strength's increased so much."
