3 arrested after cannabis found in South Island 'wilderness'

Three men have been arrested, and 21 firearms and a large quantity of cannabis has been seized, following a police operation in Central Otago.

The syndicate is accused of both producing commercial-scale quantities of cannabis in south Westland, and bringing methamphetamine into Cromwell.

More than 70 police officers from Christchurch, Dunedin and the West Coast — including the armed offenders squad and gun detection dogs — took part in Operation Vintage, which began in March 2022, Detective Inspector Shona Low said today in a statement.

Three people are facing 28 charges in total after searches were carried out at homes in Cromwell, Tarras and the Haast area yesterday.

One of the men faces eight charges related to the sale and supply of cannabis, and the supply of methamphetamine.

A second man faces eight charges related to the unlawful possession of firearms, the supply of methamphetamine, the supply of cannabis, and failing to comply.

A third man faces 12 charges related to the supply of methamphetamine, the sale and supply of cannabis, unlawful possession of firearms, and possession of cannabis.

The trio are due to appear in the Queenstown District Court today.

Further charges and arrests are likely.

Low said inquiries led police to properties in the Cromwell, Tarras and the Haast area, and to remote areas of Crown Lease land and Department of Conservation land in south Westland, where police yesterday found "two large plots and a number of smaller ones".

Cannabis plants in one plot were found dotted over an 8km area.

A significant quantity of cannabis, 21 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were recovered yesterday afternoon.

The cannabis recovery operation continues today, Low said.

"There has been a real effort to hide growing sites. They have been found deep in the wilderness, in areas where hunters would be unlikely to stumble across them.

"It takes considerable effort to get to the areas where these plants have been growing."

She said the "significant, illicit" campaign has "contributed to harm in the small towns of Cromwell and Haast".

"This is not about personal use or low-level offending, this is about large-scale operations who profit from the considerable harm.

"Thousands of hours of work have gone into Operation Vintage and our inquiries are ongoing, but I'm confident these arrests will go a long way to making our communities safer.

"It also sends the message that organised crime is not welcome here."