Police found more than they bargained for when they stopped a man driving with his vehicle’s headlights off in Flat Bush.
He was pulled over at about 9.30pm last night, July 17, by officers who allegedly discovered a large amount of cannabis in the ute.
Detective Inspector Karen Bright, of Counties Manukau Police criminal investigation branch, says the officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle.
“Police staff invoked a search for drugs and located several large sacks of packaged cannabis in the rear of the vehicle.”
Police recovered 65kg of cannabis split up into bags along with a large quantity of cash, she says.
Bright says the cannabis has an estimated street value of nearly $800,000.
The driver, a 25-year-old man, was taken into custody and is scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court today, July 18.
He faces charges of possessing cannabis for supply and failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search.
“This should put a sizeable dent into the local underground cannabis market,” Bright says.
“Offenders in our communities are making huge profits from the illegal drug trade, and any catch on this scale should send a warning to growers that they will be held to account.”
