Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jan 2007
Source: Northern Advocate (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2007 Northern Advocate
Contact: http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/info/letters/
Website: http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2929
Author: Kristin Edge

POLICE FORECAST RECORD POT CROP

Northland's cash crop cannabis looks set for a bumper  season with two
plots discovered by trampers near  Whangarei.

The plots were well developed and covered in netting to  protect them
from pests.

The latest cannabis find confirms the drug's popularity  has not waned
despite the burgeoning methamphetamine  trade.

Head of the Northland police organised-crime squad,  Detective
Sergeant Grant Smith, expected to find and  seize a record number of
cannabis plants this growing  season.

"Over the past five years, cannabis-plant seizures have  been steadily
increasing. Cannabis is still the base  funding for other drug and
criminal offending," he  said.

There was a trend back to larger, more commercial crops  in Northland
with police discovering a plot with nearly  1000 plants near Kaitaia
earlier this year.

Outdoor plots with between 300 and 500 plants were  common in the
region, Mr Smith said.

Trampers in the Whanui Conservation Area, about 10km  northeast of
Whangarei, found two plots of what police  described as "skunk" plants.

Detective Constable Andrew Glendinning of Whangarei  police said the
plots of 25 plants each were  well-developed and had been cultivated
and covered in  netting to keep out goats and possums.

Skunk plants are smaller than the more traditional  strains of
cannabis but are highly potent.

"Standing amongst them you could certainly smell it,"  Mr Glendinning
said.

He praised the trampers who had discretely marked the  track near the
plot and took pictures of identifiable  trees in the area to help
police locate the cannabis.

The plants appeared to have been topped but there had  not been any
recent activity in the plots.

He urged those who discovered plots or noticed  suspicious behaviour
to report it via a dedicated drug  telephone line.

Mr Glendinning said people finding cannabis plots  should be wary of
cyanide laid nearby to kill possums  and rodents. It was rare to find
booby-trapped plots,  but there were cases of fish hooks used as a
deterrent  to those who might decide to take the cannabis  themselves.

At this time of the year plants were reaching maturity  and because of
the excellent growing conditions there  was potential for two crops to
be harvested this  season.

Police also want to hear about suspicious behaviour  that could be
linked to the making of methamphetamine,  also known as P.

* LOOK FOR:

stolen electric fencing from rural locations used to  keep animals out
of cannabis plots

stolen black piping used for irrigating cannabis plots

cars regularly parked on the side of the road in rural
places

blacked-out windows of houses or sheds pungent smells  associated with
hydroponic cannabis production
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MAP posted-by: Derek