A two-day Canterbury-wide operation by police cracking down on drugs, stolen property and firearms has seen 50 people arrested.
A thousand officers and the Armed Offenders Squad members targeted a thousand people and properties as part of Operation Prodigy which ended today.
Police said the concentrated operation aimed at tackling the backlog of warrants for arrests and property searches from the Covid-19 lockdown, had paid off and would make an immediate impact on crime.
Senior sergeant Roy Appley, the head of Operation Prodigy, said it was about asking what was the “best bang for our buck” while making the most difference in the community.
“We've been involved in three investigations of significance. One’s around drugs, one’s around a bike ring and one's around a series of stolen cars.”
Police this morning uncovered a room full of mature marijuana plants belonging to a grower alleged to be part of a nationwide growing operation.
The alleged grower was arrested.
Sergeant Chris Power said the plants could’ve fetched about $20,000 to $50,000.
“He's obviously quite a successful accomplished gardener, plants are all healthy. He knows what he's doing,” he said.
In one property police found drug paraphernalia and a grenade. The bomb squad was called in and removed the grenade.
In another search of a family home that police said was the residence of a suspect involved in a car-stealing ring, Sergeant Warren Campbell said they were searching for firearms, ammunition, stolen cars or vehicle parts.
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