Police have seized more than $58 million worth of cannabis and shut down over 120 grow houses across Auckland in a month-long crackdown on organised crime.
The sweeping operations, carried out in the Waitematā, Auckland City and Counties Manukau districts, saw more than 10 tonnes of cannabis destroyed and 30 people arrested, most of them Vietnamese nationals now facing deportation.
Detective Inspector Callum McNeill said the scale of offending was vast, with cannabis plants hidden in rental properties across suburban and rural communities. Locations included Pōkeno, Pakuranga, Henderson and Torbay. In the Waitematā district alone, four truckloads of cannabis were removed each week, with more than nine tonnes seized under Operation Beryl.
“Police efforts have dealt a significant blow to the pockets of organised crime figures and their associates, denying them a payday of more than $50m,” McNeill said. “This is not just a small group of cannabis plants located but instead would have gone on to fund a range of organised criminal activities in our communities.”
Across all operations, Police searched 128 addresses, destroyed more than 11,000 plants, and seized cash totalling $12,000. Auckland City Police uncovered more than half a tonne of cannabis in a Penrose warehouse, while Counties Manukau Police destroyed 140 kilograms of cannabis and 4,200 plants.
McNeill warned that cannabis grow houses are not only illegal but dangerous, often fitted with unsafe electrical wiring and powered by stolen electricity. “It’s not only illegal but poses very real dangers to those operating the grow houses and innocent members of the community,” he said, noting Police had responded to several house fires linked to grow operations.
Police are now urging landlords to play their part, warning that failure to carry out due diligence could leave them liable for fire damage and void insurance claims. “It’s unfortunate that we are finding in many cases private landlords are not carrying out basic checks before or during tenancies,” McNeill said.
Recommended checks include meeting tenants face-to-face, verifying IDs, completing credit and income checks, and conducting regular inspections. Landlords are also advised to be wary of tenants offering cash or higher rent in exchange for fewer inspections.
Neighbours and community members are also encouraged to report suspicious activity to Police on 105 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
“If you come across a cannabis grow house, do not enter or touch any equipment,” McNeill added. “Alert authorities so the area can be made safe. By working together, we can all keep our communities safe.”
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