On Tuesday 18th December 2012 the Kāpiti Police Crime Control Unit (CCU) executed a planned drugs search warrant on a Waikanae Beach residential address.
Located in the execution of the search warrant was a basement area as suspected professionally set up as a sophisticated cannabis grow operation.
Ninety fully matured cannabis plants were located growing in soil under lights within a plywood sealed room in the basement area of the address.
The electricity had been diverted away from the main power board with an estimated theft of power in excess of $4000.00
At the current estimated street value of $350 per ounce, police estimate the haul to be in excess of $100,000.00 worth of cannabis.
Officer in charge of the case Detective Matt Campbell of the Kāpiti Police states:
‘It is an excellent result for police and the community as a whole to think that the quantity of drugs found on Wednesday will not be hitting the streets this summer. However we are under no illusions locally that there are not many more just like the one we found out there, and we encourage the community to continue to be the eyes and ears for us. It is our job as police to continue the war on drugs and the disruption of organised crime, preventing crime before it occurs. Without the assistance of the public and our external partners results like this would not be achievable. There is no doubt in my mind that by taking away drugs off the streets, overall crime in the area will decrease.”
A 40 year old local man appeared in the Porirua District Court on Wednesday facing charges of the cultivation of cannabis, theft of electricity and possession of cannabis for supply.
