Four charged over Dargaville cannabis operation appear in court

Some of the 4000 cannabis plants discovered by police growing in five greenhouses near Dargaville that four men have been charged over.

Four men arrested for allegedly running a major cannabis operation and growing more than 4000 plants in greenhouses have elected to have their case heard by a jury.

The men appeared in the Whangārei District Court this week and through their lawyer, Belinda Sellars, entered not guilty pleas to a charge of cultivating cannabis.

The proceedings were relayed to the men via a Vietnamese interpreter.

Minh Nhat Nguyen, 24, from Auckland's Clover Park, Nhat Quan Nguyen, 20, from Auckland's Mount Wellington, and 44-year-old Chu Thanh and 45-year-old Dang Cu, addresses not known, were remanded in custody until April 24 for a case review.

In what is one of the largest cannabis growing operations found in the region in recent years more than 20 police staff, including from the Northland District and the Financial Crime Group, executed a search warrant at a property on Oturei Settlement Rd, near Aratapu, Dargaville, in January this year.

During the raid five greenhouses filled with more than 4000 plants were discovered, some of which were seized and the others sprayed with weed killer in a blue dye.

The plants ranged from seedlings to mature plants up to 2.5m high. The property, about 10km southeast of Dargaville, was put into lockdown while the police team worked in the area for three days.

At the time of the bust Detective Senior Sergeant Geoff McCarthy said the cannabis cultivation operation was sophisticated and well established.

"This is one of the most significant cannabis seizures police have made in the Northland District for a number of years.

"There can be little doubt the cannabis being cultivated was destined for supply throughout New Zealand."