Hundreds of cannabis plants have been found in what police have called a "large-scale cannabis operation" in South Auckland this week — but those behind the operation are yet to be found.
Counties Manukau Central Area Commander, Inspector Adam Pyne, said in a statement the search was undertaken at a series of flats in the Manurewa area, thanks to information provided by the public.
"On Monday, staff from our Tactical Crime Unit executed four search warrants on the street.
"They found at least 357 cannabis plants at various stages of maturity from within the four flats, totalling 444kg."
The cannabis has an estimated street value of between $200,000 and $600,000, police said.
"Approximately half of the plants were nearing maturity for harvesting, and we also found a significant amount of packaged cannabis located inside the oven in one of the flats,” Pyne said.
The plants were taken away and destroyed, police said.
Pyne said there were no people located during the search warrants, "but we are continuing to make enquiries to locate those responsible and hold them to account."
"We are elated to have this illegal drug off the streets and out of the hands of dealers, and those would make profit from it."
Anyone with information is encouraged to call police on 105, quoting file number 240530/6133.
It comes two weeks after police uncovered cannabis plots worth $15 million in rural Auckland which led to the arrest of nine people.
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