TAURANGA - Details of a major cannabis-growing syndicate in a remote part of the East Coast emerged in a Tauranga District Court jury trial yesterday.
At the start of the hearing, which is expected to last at least a week, the court heard how a police surveillance operation at Oponae in
the Waioeka Gorge uncovered cannabis plants conservatively estimated to be worth more than $800,000 and 11.67kg of dried cannabis material valued at more than $70,000.
Two of the six people from the Opotiki area who appeared before Judge David McKegg and a jury yesterday changed their pleas to guilty.
Gail Marie Almond, aged 30, farmer, and Scott Crawford Meikle, 32, manager, both admitted cultivating cannabis and having plants for the purpose of sale in their possession. Both are represented by Paul Mabey, QC, and were remanded on bail for sentencing.
Pleading not guilty to the same two charges are Trent Ian Gebert, 33, unemployed, represented by Barbara Collis, and Raymond Brian Collier, 30, logger (Eddie Paul).
John Gilmore Dawson, 51, draper, and Mark William Bettridge, 40, unemployed, have each denied the one charge of cultivating cannabis. Vinay Deobhakta appears for Dawson and Louis Bidois for Bettridge.
In his opening address, prosecutor Rob Ronayne said police mounted a surveillance operation at Oponae on March 24 last year after a tipoff.
The farm property under observation was close to a Carter Holt Harvey forest and two constables kept watch for several days from the adjoining forestry land.
They noted in a logbook various comings and goings on four-wheel-drive farm motorbikes and other vehicles. At times, those being watched swapped town clothes for camouflage gear and carried various packages.
There were two huts on the farm property and a gas heater and gas bottles were seen being transported to the top hut, called the Taj.
After three days, the two constables moved to a higher position to observe the top hut, Mr Ronayne said.
They saw Meikle emerge with a rifle and walk towards one of the constables. Concerned he would be discovered, and 35km from back-up in the nearest town, the constable made himself known and arrested Meikle.
The two officers then tied Meikle up and went to search the hut. They found more than 11kg of cannabis material, most of it being dried.
Almond was in the hut and Gebert arrived soon after.
The officers summoned reinforcements, and over the next couple of days police followed farm bike tracks and found seven cannabis plots.
A total of 781 growing plants were discovered on the farm and adjoining forest land. Most were protected by gin traps and chicken mesh.
Mr Ronayne said evidence would be given that the farm had been used for cannabis-growing for 10 years.
(Proceeding)
TAURANGA - Details of a major cannabis-growing syndicate in a remote part of the East Coast emerged in a Tauranga District Court jury trial yesterday.
At the start of the hearing, which is expected to last at least a week, the court heard how a police surveillance operation at Oponae in
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